The sister of a young woman who was killed in a car accident along with her two friends — eight years after she lost her older sister in a fatal accident caused by a drug driver — has said she hopes she is “safe up there with her sister.” ‘.
Sherridan Borg, 23, lost sister Eve Smith, 21, among three dead in a weekend party tragedy — just eight years after her sister Xana Doyle, 19, was murdered.
Eve’s body was found in a white Volkswagen Tiguan parked in the trees just yards from the A48 in Cardiff in the early hours of the morning.
She died next to Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24. Bank employee Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, were alive but badly injured — and may have remained undiscovered next to their dead friends for 48 hours.
In a heartbroken tribute, Sherridan said, “Eva, my beautiful little sister, I cried, laughed, and fought with you every week, but I was never without you.
Eve Smith with mother Emma, stepfather Tony and her brother on the Sky TV program This is Our Family which followed their lives after the death of her sister Xana in a car accident in 2015
Eve sister Xana Doyle was murdered in 2015 by a drunk and drugged driver
“We used to say, ‘I always have you,’ but now I’m sitting here feeling so empty because you’re not with me anymore, and I can’t accept this.”
Eve had taken part in a Sky TV documentary after their other sister Xana Doyle was killed and the family campaigned for tougher sentences following the 2015 car crash.
Hairdresser Xana, 19, died instantly from head injuries in the crash when a friend stole a car to go to a party. She was a passenger when the car overturned
Sakhawat Ali, then 23, was high on cocaine and cannabis and twice the drunk driving limit. He was released after serving five years in prison.
Eve was 13 at the time of the tragedy, while Sherridan was 15.
Sherridan said, “There’s no sister like you, you always made me feel so important, you sent me messages to remind me how much you love me and I’d tell you how much I loved you more!”
“You saved me from so much Eve, all the times I was low it was you I would turn to, and now I feel heavy because I couldn’t save you.
“I loved watching you grow into this beautiful young woman and you were always so worried that we wouldn’t get close when you grew up, but I’d like to remind you that sisters never break bonds and those of us there is, no bond like ours, my girl, you’ll always be my little sister.
“I know you are safe up there with our beautiful sister Xana, but I was never ready to let you go, my body aches without you, please watch over me.
‘I love you forever and always’
After the tragedy, Eve’s family called for tougher punishments for murderous drivers and appeared in a Sky documentary about their lives with a crew following them for three years.
After Xana’s death in 2015, Eve paid an emotional tribute to her, saying she had “tragicly lost my beautiful big sister.”
Eve, just 13 at the time, wrote on Facebook, “I never thought I would have to say that or even think about it, but it’s all I do. No one will understand the pain and heartache I feel when I hear her name or see her picture.
“It’s so hard to understand or accept that she’s gone and I’ll never be able to see her again. A million times I’ve needed her and a million times I’ve cried.
“If only my love could have saved her, she would never have died.”
Their stepfather is Tony Borg, a former boxer who trained Olympic medal winning boxers and world champion Lee Selby in Wales.
After driver Sakhawat Ali was jailed for eight years, Xana’s mother Emma revealed her grief in a personal statement read in court.
She said, “It’s heartbreaking to watch her brother, Zaine, and sisters, Lauren and Eve, try to get on with life in so much pain. ‘
“They not only lost their beloved sister that day, but also their mother, because I am not and can never be the same person again.
Eve and Xana in a family photo taken when they were younger
“Honestly, if I didn’t have my other kids to take care of, I wouldn’t be here today because this pain is unbearable.
“She’s not here and she never will be. This nightmare is real and will never end.’
Emma added: ‘I can’t accept that this is real, I’m in a permanent daze trying to get on with the mundane tasks of life in an effort to provide some normalcy for my kids.
“I will never see Xana marry, have children and become successful in her chosen field.
“There will always be an empty place at our table, a hole in our hearts that cannot be filled, and there won’t be a day when we don’t mourn her.
“Every family celebration will be bittersweet knowing she’s not there to share the joy and be the life and soul of the party she was.”
Eve in a Sky documentary that charted how families deal with trauma after Xana’s death
Eve died in the crash alongside Darcy Ross, 21, (left) and Rafel Jeanne, 24 (right)
Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, were alive but badly injured – and may have remained undiscovered next to their deceased friends for 48 hours
Today, Eve’s family confirmed she had died in Friday’s crash, as did friends in several social media posts.
One of them said on Facebook: ‘Stunned and shocked to wake up to the news that Eve Smith and 2 others have passed away.
“Such a kind-hearted strong woman, it doesn’t seem real, such a young age. So, so, so sad. Taken way too early. RIP Eve.’
Another said, ‘One of the nicest girls with a heart of gold. rest in peace girl and I am so sorry that you were taken from us so soon.
“It should never have happened, but one thing is certain: you will never be forgotten.”
Darcy Ross and Rafel shared a Snapchat post of themselves together on Friday night — just hours before the crash in the early hours of Saturday.
A private ambulance at the scene of an accident on the A48 to evacuate the dead
Friend Alessia Scaccia wrote ‘Rip Raf, Darcy and Eve. I hope Shane and Sophie recover quickly and fully with the support of the hospital.”
Rea Smith said, “I don’t really have the words right now. Darcy Ross, I’m going to miss you, little gypsy girl. You were a real ray of sunshine, especially on my bad days.
“Eve Smith, you were truly a beautiful young girl, whose heart was like gold like your sister’s, give her a big hug from me and hold each other tight until the day we all get to turn and be together again come’.
Sophie Russon’s mother, Anna Certowicz, has revealed that her daughter was ‘conscious at times’ in the car after it drove off the A48 in Cardiff and had ‘called out but no one was close enough to hear her’.
Specialized agents support the families of those involved and investigations are underway.
The five victims of the accident were returning from a night out in Cardiff when their white VW Tiguan went off the road at high speed and flew into trees and undergrowth. Three have died, two are seriously injured and are in hospital. Police have not released the names of the deceased
A group of people left floral tributes near the crime scene in Cardiff’s St. Mellons area today
