Pastor's Three Daughters Killed With Friend in Horrific Crash That Leaves 5 Dead on Their Way From Church Convention
A Florida pastor and his congregation are now wrapped in heartache after his three daughters were killed in a car crash that left five people dead and a young boy fighting for his life as they returned home from a church convention Sunday.
"It hurts my heart today to see that I have lost three of my daughters at one time," said the Rev. Ricardo Welch of Prayer Tower Church of God in Christ in south St. Petersburg, in an interview with The St. Petersburg Tribune on Monday after learning of his daughters' deaths. "But even in all of this tragedy I still trust that God is God and his strength is what holds me up."
According to a WTSP report, at about 7 p.m. Sunday, Jennifer Zuniga, 30, of Venus, Florida, lost control of her pickup, hydroplaned, crossed the center line on State Road 70 and struck a vehicle head-on that was carrying the pastor's three daughters: Tehira, 18, India, 24, and La'Mour Welch, 29. Also traveling with them was musician Antwayne Robinson, 25, of North Carolina. They all died along with Zuniga.
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The only survivor from the crash is Zuniga's 6-year-old son, Cort Thivierge, who is being treated at Tampa General Hospital, according to the Tribune.
"It is unimaginable. I just can't even express how hard it is. Anybody knows me knows how much I love my daughters," said Welch in the WSTP report. "To lose my daughters in this fashion. It has caused a rip in my heart that cannot be explained. … Inside I am tore up, but the God that is within me rises up," he added in a bid to stay strong.
His daughters, who are all celebrated singers in their church community, were reportedly working on different things in their lives. Tehira was designing her own clothing line, while India was reportedly about to sign with a record label. La'Mour was planning to go back to school and become a registered nurse.
No one expected this.
On his way to the convention in Florida, Antwayne Robinson asked God to cover him on his Facebook page where he posted a photo of himself with the sisters. When he arrived he thanked God in another post for taking him to his destination safely but there was nothing about his journey back.
"All I can say is this trip to Florida was worth it. Thank you god for placing me in the midst of great people such as Mary Rieves India N. Welch Ricka Riley Scotty Brown DaShanetha Wilson-Brown Frank Minton. I'm now realizing that gods delay never meant that i was denied. It just meant that I wasn't ready," he noted in one of his last posts to his Facebook page at 8:27 a.m. on Saturday.
Hours later, he along with the Welch sisters, were all dead.
Robinson had come down from his hometown in North Carolina to take part in the convention, according to his mother, Rosalee Robinson. In a telephone interview with the Tribune Monday she said her son worked as a musician at a church in Raleigh and he loved his job.
"He loved music," said Robinson. "He also was a caring, giving, big Teddy bear who would give you the shirt off his back.
"He loved church," she added, trying to maintain her composure. "That's why he was there in Florida. He was supposed to be coming home today."
She said Robinson has two sisters and a brother and had taken a bus to St. Petersburg, where he met the Welch sisters and drove with them to the convention.
"I want to send my well wishes to the three in that car with him as well," said Robinson. "I'm wishing their family finds comfort."
Pastor Welch and his wife, Darlene Butler-Welch, also have a son, James "Anthony" Corbett. County Commissioner Ken Welch, who is a cousin and visited the church Monday morning, later thanked the public on his Facebook page for the outpouring of support his family has been receiving as they grieve their loss.
"On behalf of Pastor Ricardo Welch, Darlene, Lillie and the Welch family, we thank the community for your love and support as we remember our angels — LaMour, India and Tehira Welch," he said.
The homegoing service for the Welch sisters will be at noon on Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. The family is also seeking to raise funds at this gofundme page to help defray some of the funeral expenses.
