When Brian Trumble couldn’t reach his teenage daughters, he naturally grew worried.
But he never expected the heartbreaking news that followed.
On August 1, 2024, sisters Hailey, 19, and Shelby, 17, were excited for a fun-filled day at Seabreeze Amusement Park near Rochester, New York.
Their father, Brian Trumble, spoke with them that morning before they left their home in Granby. According to People, gave them $100 for the park and reminded them, “Have fun and behave.”
“Of course, they were adults,” he says.
“They didn’t need to be told to be behaved, but this is what I always tell them.”
Started texting and calling them
During the day, Hailey and Shelby enjoyed the rides and thrills at the amusement park. As afternoon turned to evening, Hailey set the GPS on her phone and the girls jumped in their 2005 Chevy Cobalt to drive home.
When the girls didn’t return on time, Brian started texting and calling them – but there was no response. At first, he wasn’t too worried; he knew the area they were driving through had poor cell service.
But as time passed, his anxiety grew.
After checking the app “Find My Friends,” he saw they were on Ferris Road in Cato, just three miles from home.
He sent Shelby another message, asking, “Where are you?”
Still, there was no reply.
Concerned, Brian turned to his girlfriend and explained where the girls were.
She gasped, “Oh my God, I heard something happened on Ferris Road.” That’s when the panic set in.
“I just knew in my heart something was wrong,” Brian said. “Nothing like this ever happens.”
Police officer blocked the road
He drove straight to the location, only to be met by a scene no parent should ever have to witness. A police officer blocked the road leading to Ferris Road, and soon after, officers informed him that two girls had been in an accident, and one had died. Brian’s heart sank; he feared the worst.
“I just sat on my bumper and couldn’t stand up,” he remembers, grateful for the support of nearby police and firefighters. “They were great.”
Tragically, both Hailey and Shelby died in the crash. Shelby lost her life instantly, while Hailey was alive when first responders arrived. A firefighter stayed by her side until her last moments, providing comfort.
Since that heartbreaking day, Brian and his family have leaned on each other to cope with their unimaginable loss.
“We’re just holding on to each other and trying to deal with it,” he said. The sisters will be cremated together, a decision that gives Brian a small measure of peace. “It brings me some comfort that they’re together,” he explained.
Organ donors
Both girls were organ donors, a choice they made with the hope of helping others.
Brian wants to share their story, describing them as “sweet, beautiful, and lovely.”
Hailey and Shelby were remarkable young women with their whole lives ahead of them. They were animal lovers and what Brian fondly calls “simple country girls.”
The tight-knit sisters had recently graduated from high school — Hailey in 2023 and Shelby in 2024 — and were completing a cosmetology program at Oswego BOCES.
Just weeks before the crash, they rescued two abandoned kittens, sisters Bandit and Smokey, and volunteered with their aunt at the CNY Cat Coalition.
“Our hearts go out to the Trumble family and everyone who loved Hailey and Shelby,” the CNY Cat Coalition shared in a heartfelt Facebook post.
“These incredible sisters rescued a pair of abandoned kitten sisters and were planning to adopt them.”
“They touched so many people,” Brian told People. “Everyone who met them just loved them. They were sweet, kind, and smart, and they were figuring out what they wanted to do with their lives.”
Hailey was set to start a new job at a daycare the Monday after the crash, and Brian recalls how children were naturally drawn to her. Meanwhile, Shelby worked at a local farm stand selling vegetables.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation. Reports indicate that their vehicle reached the top of a hill and crossed into the oncoming lane of traffic on Ira Hill Road in Cayuga County, colliding with a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The driver of that vehicle, Robin Latham, 59, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Police don’t know what happened
”It’s much too early to say exactly what happened, and what caused this crash and what factors were involved,” Sheriff Brian Schneck told CNY Central.
”But we are looking at every piece of evidence that we can.”
Thankfully, there has been no indication that either driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
In the wake of this tragedy, a fundraiser was established to support the Trumble family, allowing Brian, Riley, a 21-year-old brother, and two step-sisters to focus on healing without the added burden of financial stress. The community rallied around the family, raising over $50,300 to help them through this difficult time.
Hailey and Shelby were taken far too soon, leaving behind a family and community that loved them dearly.
They will be remembered not just for their tragic end, but for the joy and kindness they brought to everyone they met.
As we reflect on their lives, let us hold their memory close and extend our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved these beautiful sisters.
