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Car wreck kills two teens in Harriman, mothers find friendship in grief

Joshua Freels and Austin French died in a high-speed car wreck in 2019. The driver of the car, Holden Melton, was convicted on two counts of vehicular homicide.

HARRIMAN, Tenn. — A car wreck that killed two teenage boys in 2019 finally came to a close in court. The crash happened on May 26, 2019. Austin French, 18, and Joshua Freels, 16, both died in the crash. Kameron French, Austin's younger brother survived, and so did the driver Holden Melton.

Melton was found guilty of two counts of vehicular homicide. The Wartburg man was sentenced to 60 days in jail. However, the victim's families say it isn't enough for the amount of grief they've endured.

"I think he needed to serve longer than 60 days," said Kristi Freels, Joshua's mom. "There's people out here getting put in prison for drugs and DUIs. But, this boy killed two innocent kids and only got 60 days."

Austin's mom, Lyndse agreed.

"I was very discouraged. We have to go back and relive this all over again. I mean, to me, it's kind of like going back to day one," Lyndse said.

The two moms said they think about that day often. Lyndse was the first to find out about what had happened. She got a call that something happened to her sons on Orchard Valley Drive.

"So, I went on a drive and when I came down to the hill. I saw my son Austin partially ejected out of the vehicle," Lyndse said.

That was around 2:30 p.m. Kristi found out about it around 7 p.m. that night.

"I just automatically fall to the ground. I'm screaming. I'm punching the trees," she said.

Joshua and Austin were best friends. They worked at the same place and hung out in the same circles. They spent the night at each other's houses, and call each other's mom "mama."

"She was Mama Freels, and I was always Mama Frenchie," Lyndse said.

Before the wreck, Lyndse and Kristi knew each other. But, after the wreck, they leaned on each other for support.

"Since that day, we've just never really separated and we will never separate. She is my sister now," Lyndse said.

"Lyndse's helped me a lot. We'll always be sisters no matter what. Because I love Lindsey. Oh, and I love her family," Kristi said.

These two mothers share a unique bond. They really do know exactly what the other is going through.

"We don't have our children. And we wouldn't give anything, just to have those two boys back," Lyndse said.

Their lives have intertwined because of their sons. They bought matching locket necklaces engraved with the fingerprints of their sons, and pictures inside.

They also started celebrating both of the boys' birthdays together.

"We usually do birthdays," Kristi said.

"We normally go to the graves and we take cake up there for both of them, and release balloons," Lyndse said.

They also celebrate the new life that's come since their sons' passing. Kristi's daughter had a baby girl. She calls it a "miracle baby."

"I have a grandson come in three years later," Kristi said. "And you won't believe this, but he was born 3 hours after my son's birthday."

Lyndse said she was there in support.

"That's why I'm saying we do everything together. She called me. I sat down in the garage with her and we watched that baby come," Lyndse said.

Although a strong friendship rose from the devastation. Both of these moms say nothing will ever replace either of their babies.

"It's just real hard to go without our babies. The only thing we have left is pictures and memories," Lyndse said.

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