In the days that followed the deadly crash involving a bus of Iraan High School cheerleaders Friday, it seems that people across West Texas felt deep sense of pain knowing the loss that the Iraan- Sheffield ISD community suffered.
The crash happened Friday night after the Iraan cheerleaders and football team were driving home after winning a playoff football game in Colorado City. On I-20, a semi truck drove into oncoming traffic to avoid a car up ahead that had slammed on it’s breaks, DPS reported.The semi truck struck the small school bus carrying two cheer team sponsors and six cheerleaders. A cheer team sponsor, Elizabeth Pope, died of her injuries in that crash, and the seven other passengers were all hospitalized for their injuries.
Four of those victims were sent to University Medical Center in Lubbock for treatment. As of Monday evening, only one of those victims, 48-year-old Christina Garlock was still at UMC; she was listed in satisfactory condition.
Many schools around West Texas have been sending support to the Iraan-Sheffield school district, some schools in the Lubbock area are already planning to send flowers and make videos for Iraan High School. Because Iraan High School is still in the football playoffs, they have a semi-final playoff game in Abilene on Friday. Cheerleading teams from around West Texas have decided to drive up for that game and give the Iraan High cheer team an extra boost of spirit during this difficult time.
On the Facebook page the cheerleaders are organizing their efforts with, dozens of schools have expressed interest. Schools in the Lubbock area including Spur, Lockney, as well as South Plains College have stated they intend to be at the Abilene game on that Facebook page. Lubbock Cooper School District plans to send a cheerleading squad as well.
These cheerleaders will be admitted to the game for free and food will be donated for all the cheerleaders attending.