Toddler Survives Alaska Highway Crash That Killed Parents
Paige Hart, age two, is recovering from six broken bones after a head-on collision on the Parks Highway.
By Adriana Abebe ·
A two-year-old girl is recovering from serious injuries after a head-on collision on an Alaska highway killed her parents. The crash occurred on October 19 near Trapper Creek. Alaska State Troopers reported that 38-year-old Sasha Hart was driving a Subaru Forester southbound when the vehicle crossed the center line. It struck a northbound Ford F-250 driven by 41-year-old David Hart. Both Hart parents died in the accident. Their daughter, Paige, was in the Subaru and survived.
The couple had lived in Fairbanks for ten years, having recently celebrated their wedding anniversary. The family described a home life built around travel, hockey, and food. Shery Elterman-Hart, David’s sister, said Sasha integrated quickly into the family group. She described the couple as deeply close to their extended relatives. The family noted that Paige shares physical traits with both parents, including a specific facial expression resembling her mother and a fondness for sweets.
Katie Ragsdale, David’s other sister, stated that the couple prioritized parenting above all else. She described Paige as the central focus of their lives. Ragsdale said the child is currently healing rapidly from six broken bones sustained in the crash. Elterman-Hart called the toddler a miracle during an interview. She held Paige while speaking to reporters. The family views the child’s survival as a continuation of her parents’ presence on earth.
The accident occurred on the Parks Highway, a major route in interior Alaska. Troopers identified the vehicles involved as a Subaru Forester and a Ford F-250. The collision was classified as fatal for the two adults. No other parties were listed as victims in the initial trooper report. The family remains in Fairbanks, where the couple built their home. They are monitoring Paige’s progress in the weeks following the crash.
