Family of young Calgary couple, involved in horrific head-on crash, speaks out.

Global News

4 days ago

'It was sheer panic,' said Debbie Boswell, mother of Taylor Romoutar.
The 33-year-old woman was driving her 35-year-old husband Jonathan Ramoutar to the airport in the early morning on July 21 — a routine they follow every Monday when Jonathon flies to northern Alberta, where he works in the province's oil industry.
'Taylor normally comes home after to sleep, but she never came home,' said Boswell. ' I ran upstairs and googled 'accidents in the northeast' — and I saw her what I thought was her car.'
'EMS, firefighters, police — they all said nobody is going to survive that, (but) they had someone looking over her that day,' said Boswell.
View image in full screen
'They had someone looking over them that day,' said Debbie Boswell of the crash that nearly killed her 33-year-old daughter Taylor and 35-year-old son Jonathan. Photo provided to Global News
According to police, the couple was hit head-on by a Ford F-150 pickup- truck, driven by a 25-year-old.
Story continues below advertisement
Investigators said he first struck and killed a pedestrian before his pickup plowed — head on — into the young couple's jeep.
The force of the collision was so great, both vehicles ended up on their roof and rescue crews had to use the jaws of life to extract Taylor and Jonathon from their Jeep.
1:32
Pedestrian dead, 3 others injured after collision in northeast Calgary
The couple was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where they still remain.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
'She (Taylor) had 25 breaks in both of her arms and legs that had to be pinned or rodded or plated,' said Boswell. 'She's in a lot of pain.'
View image in full screen
The force of the head-on crash was so great that emergency crews had to use the jaws of life the extract the critically injured couple from their vehicle. Global News
Taylor's sister Morgan, who lives in Fort St. John, B.C., rushed to Calgary to be by her side.
Story continues below advertisement
'I just yelled out, 'Taylor',' said her sister.
'She just didn't look like herself. She was so swollen and had the tube in her mouth and black eye and blood.'
'It's terrifying — nobody should see a loved one go through that,' said Morgan Burdock.
The family said Jonathon suffered a long list of internal injuries and has spent 10 days in the intensive care unit at Foothills Hospital — and one point they thought they might lose him.
'The doctor came to us and said it's not good, we can't guarantee tonight and it's minute-by-minute. There was 15 of us, all family and friends and we just all got into a big group hug and we all prayed and said how much we loved them,' said Taylor's sister. 'We just have had to keep doing that.'
'There's a lot to celebrate because we thankfully have our family members with us, but (they're) still not out of the woods,' she added.
View image in full screen
Family and friends of the injured couple – seen here on their wedding day – have set up a Go Fund Me account to aise money to help with what is expected to be a long road to recovery. Provided to Global News
The family says the couple are both scientists who love to work out and to volunteer.
Story continues below advertisement
They have a large and loving group of friends who have also set up a GoFundMe campaign that has already reached $60,000.
The couple, who were scheduled to have a walk through of their brand-new home in a couple of weeks, spent their wedding anniversary in the hospital — one floor separating them.
'It makes me emotional when they will finally get to see each other for the first time,' said Taylor's sister.
'They are just perfect, perfect together — everything I could have wanted for my little sister and more,' she said, wiping away tears.
Police said charges are pending against the 25-year-old driver of the truck.
View image in full screen
Calgary Police say charges are pending against the driver of the pickup truck who was driving the wrong way when he collided head on with the couple's jeep. Michael King / Global News
While the couple's family members have a lot of questions — and anger — for now, they are focused on their loved ones and said they can't stop thinking about the family of the woman who lost her life that day.
Story continues below advertisement
'Our heart breaks for that family and what they had to endure,' said Boswell
'Justice needs to be served here for the poor pedestrian — and for Jonathan and Taylor.'