A selfie taken before three friends died showed they missed heartbreaking details.
Friends often pose for photos together, capturing memories in a split second. But for these three girls, one critical mistake before a picture ended in tragedy.
In 2011, a heartbreaking accident shook a Utah community. Essa Ricker, Kelsea Webster, and Savannah Webster—Essa’s younger sister—lost their lives in a horrifying incident at the Covered Bridge Canyon crossing.
The girls had climbed onto the tracks to wave at the engineers of a passing Utah Railway train. What began as a playful moment turned fatal in an instant.
This Utah train accident 2011 remains one of the most tragic reminders of how quickly joy can turn into loss—and how a seemingly innocent decision can carry irreversible consequences.
While waving at one train, the girls had no idea another was coming.
At that same moment, a Union Pacific train sped toward them from the opposite direction. According to Utah County Sheriff Sgt. Spencer Cannon, the two trains were only three to four feet apart—barely enough space to react.
The girls realized the danger—but far too late.
Essa Ricker and Kelsea Webster died instantly on impact. Savannah Webster survived the collision but suffered severe brain trauma. Doctors rushed her to a nearby hospital for emergency surgery. Despite their efforts, her injuries were too extensive. Her parents made the heartbreaking decision to remove life support.
This Covered Bridge Canyon train tragedy serves as a devastating reminder of how quickly lives can be lost—and how important it is to stay alert near railway tracks.
As the tragedy unfolded, Jayna Webster, mother of Savannah and Kelsea, poured her heartbreak into a blog post.
“We spoke with the doctors today,” she wrote. “They told us that Savvy’s brain injuries were too serious. Even with everything they’ve done, she won’t recover. She’ll remain on life support until the end of the day. It’s time to say goodbye—temporarily—to an angel who walked among us.”
Only moments before the collision, Savannah Webster had posted a chilling message on Facebook:
“Standing right by a train ahaha this is awesome!!!”
The girls, passionate about trains, had taken a selfie on the tracks—unaware of the oncoming train speeding toward them from the opposite direction.
What started as a lighthearted moment ended in one of the most haunting cases of a teen selfie tragedy.
This heartbreaking event continues to serve as a stark reminder: even the smallest decisions can have life-altering consequences.
Just seconds before the crash, the girls snapped a selfie. The photo caught the blinding yellow glare of the train’s headlights approaching fast. Tragically, they didn’t hear the horn.
John Anderson, the train conductor, later shared what he witnessed.
“They were in their own little world,” he said.
Engineer Michael Anderson did everything he could. He blasted the horn repeatedly—hoping to snap the girls out of it. But they never looked up.
Describing the horror, John Anderson recalled the moment with chilling detail:
“We stared in horror as we came closer. For nearly twelve seconds, we saw them. The train couldn’t stop. Then they vanished from our sight.”
This heartbreaking Utah train selfie tragedy remains a powerful warning. One distracted moment can change everything—forever.
When the train finally stopped, John Anderson rushed to the tracks, his heart racing. He first found one of the girls—her pulse was gone. Soon after, he realized the second girl had also passed.
But then, he reached Savannah Webster. She was alive, despite the severe injuries.
“I told her everything would be okay,” the conductor recalled. “She relaxed a little.”
Anderson’s words were filled with hope:
“I really thought she would make it. For some reason, I just felt like she would.”
Sadly, despite his efforts to comfort her in those final moments, Savannah succumbed to her injuries, leaving a community in deep mourning.
