Popular teens killed in head-on collision

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This article was published 02/07/2011 (5214 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BRANDON — Two Brandon teens known for being kind-hearted and generous died Thursday afternoon in a head-on motor vehicle collision on Highway 10.

Paul Tschuschba and Kayleigh Brugger died when the car they were in collided with a pickup truck near Erickson shortly after 3 p.m.

Though RCMP have not released the names of the victims, relatives confirmed the deaths of Tschuschba and Brugger on Friday. On Saturday RCMP confirmed a 17-year-old male and an 18-year-old woman, both of Brandon, died in the crash.

“My family has lost someone with more potential and ambition than I could ever dream of,” said Kayleigh’s cousin, Jordan Brugger.

Just hours after the collision Thursday, two others died in a crash near East Selkirk.

At about 8 p.m., a Volkswagen Jetta and a Toyota 4Runner collided on Highway 59 in the RM of St. Clements, killing two people in the car and sending two others in the SUV to hospital with undetermined injuries, according to Selkirk RCMP.

An RCMP spokesman said the names of the victims would not be released Friday, as family members were still being notified. On Saturday the deceased were identified as a 32-year-old Selkirk woman and a 41-year-old Winnipeg man.

Kayleigh Brugger, 17, had graduated from Brandon’s Vincent Massey High School only days ago. Tschuschba had just completed Grade 11 at Crocus Plains.

There is speculation they were heading north to the Brugger family cabin at Ditch Lake when the collision occurred.

The lone female occupant of the pickup truck was rushed to hospital. Her condition is not known at this time.

Family and friends went online to mourn the teens. A Facebook memorial page called “RIP Kayleigh and Paul” had nearly 800 followers by Friday evening.

In an email, Jordan Brugger, who looked to his younger cousin as a confidante and adviser, told of his close relationship with Kayleigh.

“I have never come across someone that had such an ambiance of attraction,” he wrote. “She encouraged me to go for my goals just through sharing hers.”

Kayleigh was involved in a long list of school and church causes, from the Vincent Massey Youth Revolution to her mission work in Vancouver that focused on homelessness and drug addiction.

Jordan said the story of his cousin’s life was all about kindness.

“It didn’t matter where (people) were from, what they looked like or even if they didn’t speak her language. She could still get to them with her loving smile,” he said.

Teachers from Paul’s high school were shaken by news of his death. One teacher, Rhonda Wlock, said the boy and his family came to Brandon from Germany more than two years ago.

Choking back tears, Wlock described Paul as “a great kid, a great student and very outgoing and friendly.”

Paul’s friends talked about his ever-present smile that was so contagious. Diana Holstein said she and Paul became close as soon as he moved to Brandon.

“It just hurts,” she said. “He’s just the sweetest guy ever… he made people around him laugh. If someone would be in a bad mood, it was Paul who cheered him up.”

“(Paul) walked the halls smiling, spreading laughter and happiness throughout the halls of Crocus Plains,” wrote Amanda Boulet in a letter after she heard the news.

Paul and Kayleigh’s immediate families declined to comment when reached by the Brandon Sun.

The incident is still under investigation but RCMP say speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the collision.

RCMP confirmed Saturday the

— Brandon Sun, with files from the Free Press