Trisha and Justin Nelson shared more than a marriage and three children. They also were born on the same day, July 10, in different years. Trisha celebrated her 40th birthday this summer; Justin turned 41.

“I just think that’s remarkable ... It just seemed like they were meant to be,” said Julie Mae Lucas, who attended middle and high school with Justin at Chapman.

Her words came Monday, two days after she helped organize a GoFundMe page for the Nelsons. The family was involved in a serious traffic accident Friday night about six miles west of the K-156 and K-14 junction at Ellsworth.

Justin was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Five others were taken to area hospitals.

Trisha was taken to Clara Barton Medical Clinic, Hoisington, before being transferred to Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, where she was listed in fair condition Monday.

The Nelsons’ son, Chase, 12, also was at Wesley. Family friends said he suffered a broken leg and ribs and was moved Sunday from intensive care to a regular room. They expect him to be in a wheelchair for six weeks.

The couple’s other children, Kyndall, 5, and Tristin, 14, were treated and released from Clara Barton.

A highway patrol report identified the driver of a second vehicle as Ethan Curnutt, 19, Kanopolis, who was treated and released from the Ellsworth County Medical Center.

According to the report:

Emergency crews were called a little after 9 p.m. to the scene of a twocar wreck on K-156 near the Lorraine road turnoff.

Investigators determined a 2002 Ford F-150 was westbound on K-156 and a 2017 Ford F-150 was eastbound. A third pickup truck, a 2002 Chevy Silverado, was stopped in the westbound lane, waiting to make a left turn.

The Kansas Highway Patrol said the driver of the westbound truck swerved to avoid hitting the vehicle that was stopped to make a left turn. When the truck swerved, it hit the Nelson vehicle head-on in the eastbound lane.

The Chevrolet was not struck and no one inside was injured. Julie Mae Lucas, who lives in Florida, was in Wichita Saturday morning visiting her parents when she saw a story about the accident posted on a class Facebook page. “I couldn’t believe it. It was shocking,” she said. At the same time, she knew the Class of 1997 had to do something. Justin is the fourth classmate to be lost in the 100-member class. She also knew Trisha and her children would need help. The GoFundMe page was the result. By noon Monday, organizers had almost reached their goal of $15,000 and by Tuesday the goal had been raised to $23,000. Heide Rippert of Junction City, another member of the Class of 1997, works with Trisha in the sale of nutritional products. She said their co-workers conducted a special prayer call Monday for the family. Trisha is from Satanta in western Kansas, where her father is a pastor at Liberal. Rippert said Justin worked in the oil fields. But more importantly — the Nelsons were youth group leaders in their church in Booker, Texas, where they moved three years ago. The Nelsons were on their way to Justin’s hometown of Enterprise to visit his parents. Rippert said Justin was strong in his faith. “He was in the right place with God and there’s comfort in that,” she said.