Friends struggle with disbelief, frustration in wake of crash that orphaned 3 sisters

Friends of three Calgary sisters left orphaned after a deadly crash near Pincher Creek, Alta., on Christmas Eve are grappling with frustration and disbelief in the wake of the tragedy.

The family's minivan was involved in a crash along a slippery Highway 3, the parents, Mohamed Elkady and Hana Hussein,were killed.

DaughtersSara, Salmaand Dina,rangein age from their late teens to early 20s, and are in hospital. RCMPsaid one of them is still in life-threatening condition, though friends aren't sure which of the sisters that might be.

Left a day early

"It just feels like something out of a nightmare," said Diego Parra, who is good friends with Salmaand Sara."It hurt me finding out about the parents and then about Salma and then about Sara. I know Dina's okay. I know Dina will make it. My major worries are Sarah and Salma."

Parra said the family left a day early to travelto B.C.in order to visit friends when the crash occurred.

"And it sucks because they weren't even supposed to go on that trip on the 24th. Me and Salma had planned something on the 24th, just like a hangout on Christmas Eve, and then on the 25th they were supposed to leave," he said."I don't know why exactly the dad or the parents decided to change the date, but they did."

Frustration with hospital

Abigail Tsegaye, who has known Salma since the two were in Grade 6, said she's frustrated by a lack of information on her friend's condition.

"The hospital hasn't been very helpful with us, which makes things difficultbecause from what we know, her condition is not too well," she said."We haven't been able to contact her."

Tsegaye said family is everything to Salma and that if she's conscious, she will be devastated by what's happened.

"There's a lot of people who are willing to see her and a lot of people who are willing to be there for these girls and not one person has been cooperative in letting us see them," she said.

Uncle in Egypt

Tsegaye is aware the hospital can't give out information to people who aren't family, but she says there's no family left in the city.

An uncle to the daughters is trying to obtain an emergency visa to travel from Egypt to Canada and assist the family.

Meanwhile, the local Egyptian community plans to open a bank account for all the donations it's been receiving for the sisters.

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