Abigail Garber was just 14 when her life ended on a stretch of Interstate 265 in New Albany. The Fort Wayne girl sat in the back of the family Ford Explorer that Sunday evening. Traffic had come to a halt because metal rods and fencing littered the eastbound lanes near the State Street exit.
Her father, John Garber, 48, was behind the wheel. He tried to ease the silver 2023 Explorer into the left lane. A 2005 Ford F-350 driven by Michael Grant, 69, of New Albany, slammed into them from behind. The impact killed Abigail.
A 16-year-old also rode in the back seat. That teen was taken to Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville with serious injuries. John suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. His wife Jennifer Garber, 51, had minor ones. Both went to UofL Hospital. Grant walked away without a scratch.
The crash started with the debris reports around 5:40 p.m. on August 2. Cars stopped. The Garbers stopped too. Then the truck hit. Eastbound lanes stayed closed about three hours while crews worked the scene.
Folks in Fort Wayne are hurting. Abigail’s family faces days no one wants. A fundraiser has been set up to help them through the bills and the empty space at home.
People who knew her talk about the everyday moments she left behind. The laughs in the car. The plans she had. Those stay with the ones who loved her.
The Garbers and their friends lean on each other now. Abigail’s memory sits heavy but clear in the minds of everyone who shared time with her.
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