Some lives are marked by loss so profound that language itself seems insufficient. The story of Lori Coble and her family is one of those rare accounts where grief does not arrive once, but returns again and again, each time demanding more strength than feels possible.
In the spring of 2007, Lori and her husband, Chris Coble, were living what many would call an ordinary, happy life in Southern California. They were raising three young children—Kyle Christopher, age five; Emma Lynn, age four; and Katie Gene, just two—and planning for a future that felt stable and full. Nothing suggested how quickly that future would disappear.
A Normal Day That Turned Into a Nightmare
On May 4, 2007, the family was driving on a Southern California freeway when traffic slowed to a complete stop. Without warning, a fully loaded semi-truck failed to brake and slammed into the back of their minivan at high speed. The impact was catastrophic. The vehicle was crushed beyond recognition.