A 16-year-old Texas cheerleader has died after a freak sledding accident during a rare winter storm in the Lone Star State, just days after her rising soccer star best friend was killed in the tragedy.
Grace Brito died Tuesday after she and Elizabeth Angle, 16, hitched a sled to the back of another teen’s Jeep for a high-speed ride on Sunday, the Frisco Police Department confirmed on Facebook.
During a sharp turn, the sled slammed against a curb and careened into a tree.
The girls were rushed to the hospital, where Angle was pronounced dead. Brito suffered critical injuries in the accident and had been on life support since the crash.
“We are a family of four — myself, my husband, Grace, and Emma,” Brito’s mother, Tracy Brito, said, noting that her other daughter, Emma, is a freshman at Louisiana State University.
“Our family is heartbroken by the loss of our beautiful daughter, Gracie. She was a kind and generous soul, full of warmth, love, and compassion.”
The grieving mother said her daughter and Angle — a Wakeland High School sophomore who played junior varsity soccer in the fall and competed for the FC Dallas 2009G club team in the offseason — were inseparable, longtime best friends.
She said her daughter was a devoted cheerleader and All-Star Athlete at Express Dance & Cheer.
“Cheer was her greatest passion,” Tracy Brito told the outlet. “She approached the sport with discipline, dedication, and joy.”
In an emotional statement, Express Dance & Cheer said Brito had “grown up to become a leader,” adding they were “lucky to have had time with her.”
“We will continue to honor Gracie every way we can and look for her in everything we do. Her kindness and optimism will never be forgotten, and we will hold her memory close to our hearts,” the organization told KTVT.
“Our Express family will always have a guardian angel looking over us, and we cling to the fact that Gracie is eternally safe and surrounded by peace.”
Angle’s mother told Fox 4 on Monday that she had only recently gotten her driver’s license and was eager to spend a snowy weekend with her closest friends.
“We will never be the same,” she said.
Investigators said a 16-year-old boy was driving a Jeep Wrangler that was pulling two girls on a sled when it struck a curb and slammed into a tree.
A neighbor who witnessed the moments before the crash, Mark Fischer, said the Jeep “accelerated really fast” as the girls screamed before disappearing around a corner.
“On ice like this, to be going that fast, a sled can’t stop,” he told KTVT.
It remains unclear whether the 16-year-old driver will be charged.
Frisco police said the crash is still under investigation, but stressed that no alcohol was involved.
“We also want to clarify rumors circulating online, throughout this entire investigation, there has been no indication of alcohol involvement by any of the involved parties,” the department wrote in its statement Tuesday.
“Please be mindful of sharing unverified information, as it can add unnecessary pain to those grieving.”
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