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South Shore Family 'Truly Heartbroken' After Florida Crash Kills 4

WHITMAN (CBS) – The South Shore communities of Whitman and Weymouth are coming together to help a family struggling with the tragic loss of two children, their mother and grandmother in a horrific crash near Disney World.

Five-year-old Scarlett Smith, her 12-year-old brother Jaxon, their mother, 41-year-old Julie Smith of Whitman and their grandmother, 76-year-old Josephine Fay of South Weymouth, died when their minivan was hit by a pickup truck just outside of Orlando, Florida Tuesday evening.

Four others in the van – Scarlett's twin sister Skylar, her 10-year-old sister Shalie, their father, Shane Smith and their grandfather William Fay - survived. The family was in Florida during school vacation week for a trip to Disney World.

The family is thanking those who stepped forward in their time of need.

"The Fay/Smith Families greatly appreciate the outpouring of support and prayers as we process the events of this horrific tragedy," the family said in a statement Thursday.

"We are truly heartbroken. Among the many individuals, groups, and organizations who have assisted during this difficult time, we wanted to highlight the efforts of the first responders in Orlando, the medical staff at the Orlando Regional Medical Center and the Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital, Disney, JetBlue, TSA, and the Massachusetts State Police. We also want to thank the Hartman Family who assisted in Orlando. We continue to grieve for the loss of our loved ones. Thank you for your outpouring of kindness."

Scarlett Smith
Scarlett Smith, Jaxon Smith, Julie Smith and Josephine Fay (Photos credit: Fay Family)

Julie Smith grew up in Weymouth and worked at Liberty Mutual Insurance.

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragedy involving the Smith family," a spokesperson said in a statement Thursday. "Julie was a cherished employee and greatly touched the lives of all her colleagues. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Julie's family and friends during this incredibly difficult time."

The Quincy College community is remembering Josephine Fay. "These are people who are heroes to people," said Professor Steven Dooner.

Josephine taught in the school's Early Childhood Education Department for nearly 20 years. "Joe was the first person who ever wished me well when I got my job at Quincy College. The photos you've seen of her show her as she was, a person you really want to know, that would lift your own spirits," said Dooner.

Josephine's husband William also worked at the college for several years.

"A tragedy like this, it's something that shouldn't have happened," said a South Weymouth neighbor of the Fay Family.

Counselors will be at the Hanson Middle School, where Jaxon was a sixth grader, on Friday from 10 a.m. to noon to help anyone coping with the loss.

Maureen Patterson-Fede of Boston Medical Center's Good Grief Program encourages local parents to let kids lead the way in processing this grief. "When we're letting kids ask us the questions, we're finding out what's worrying them," she said. "What information is hard for them to understand?"

That could include anxiety about death, car safety, and travel for a while. "We want to protect our kids, and we want to shield them from hard things but there's going to be some pain," Patterson-Fede said.

Whitman Youth Soccer is planning to hold a candlelight vigil for the Smith family at 7 p.m. Friday at Whitman Middle School.

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