A church in the Athens community is mourning the loss of one of their parishioners, after he died in the tour bus crash that killed a dozen people in Mexico Tuesday.
WBIR's sister station in Chattanooga WRCB TV is reporting that Bob Bever from the Athens community was among the eight Americans killed in that crash, according to Cecila Aparicio-Arascon at St. Mary Catholic Church.
The church was notified Wednesday by a U.S. Consulate staff member in Mexico.
His wife Barbara and their two daughters were also hurt in the crash after the bus flipped on a two-lane highway heading to the Mayan ruins in Chacchoben, Mexico.
Bishop Richard Stika with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Knoxville said St. Mary is one of the 51 parish and mission churches in the diocese. He said hearing the news saddened his heart, saying Bever was a very active member of the church and Catholic community:
"The St. Mary's Parish family and many of us in the Diocese of Knoxville were saddened to hear about Mr. Bever's unexpected and tragic death while on a family trip in Mexico this week. Bob was active in the Knights of Columbus, was an usher at his parish church in Athens, and was active in the Catholic Church in a variety of other ways. I have asked our diocese to join me in praying for the recovery of Bob's wife, Barbara, and his daughters Gina and Stephanie."
Jim Wogan, a spokesman for the diocese, said Bever will be missed.
"This was a good man of the church," he said. "Bob was active in the U.S. Armed Forces. He was in special forces, very committed to serving his country and his church."
A co-worker of Barbara's confirmed Bever had retired from the military.
The bus had been carrying 31 passengers, including tourists coming from a Royal Caribbean cruise. 12 people died and about 18 people in total were injured, including three citizens from Canada, four from Brazil and another four from the U.S.
The driver of the bus was also injured but has since been detained by officials.
Traveler Donna Roehr offered condolences Wednesday to the victims of the crash as she and her family traveled through the area — on the same cruise line affected by the deadly crash.
They had to reschedule their excursion to the Mayan ruins, as tours in Chacchoben were canceled Wednesday. The Chacchoben site, dating to 200 BC, is a popular spot for tour buses due to its ancient temples and massive platform groups.
"We're adding them to our prayers," said Roehr, of Allendale, Mich., who is on vacation with her family on the Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, a ship docked in the same port as the affected ships — Celebrity Equinox and Serenade of the Seas — which both docked a day earlier after leaving Miami.
She added that Royal Caribbean has "been very accommodating. You just have to be flexible and understand the seriousness of the situation. They've been very serious about the situation."
Footage and photos of the aftermath of the crash show bodies on the pavement and side of the road as others, including some wearing bathing suits, help the wounded.
It's unclear what caused the crash, but officials are investigating.
Steve Bassetti, of Cincinnati, Ohio, who was traveling with his wife, children and mother, said the wreck caused him to rethink the type of excursion they'd do in Mexico out of fear "something might happen that could ruin our vacation."
He said he'd safely taken a tour bus before but "I guess anything can happen," adding he didn't know if he'd take one again in the future.
"I might consider it if it was just my wife and I, but certainly with family, it's not worth the risk probably," Bassetti said.