4 lives changed in an instant

John Eichinger does not want people to forget the pain of loss felt by the Goodman family. Frank Goodman, Thad's father, said he understands what the other family is experiencing because Thad was injured in an accident when he was 12 years old that also left him in a coma. He had to re-learn speech and some social skills. He never regained his senses of smell or taste because of the accident, Frank Goodman said.

"We'll probably get together and meet someday when it's right," Eichinger said.

The families are amazed by the people who approached the burning vehicles with extinguishers, and the driver of the pickup who used his vehicle to bump the SUV away from Goodman's burning car.

For now, Thad Goodman's widow, Susan, tries not to cry in front of her daughters. She tries to stay positive, reminding Hannah how their father used to spread out the blanket on the lawn to stargaze with her at night, and how he's now in heaven.

Susan cries at night, after tucking in the girls. She misses Thad's practical jokes and quirky humor. Sometimes she cannot believe her husband of four years is gone. She keeps waiting for him to come through the door and say in his deep voice, as he always did, "Hey, babe."

She turns to her LDS faith, searching for reasons why he's gone. "If it wasn't Thad's time, he would be protected in that accident. God needed him," she said.

Josh Berendes was not in a "good position to talk" to the media, Eichinger said, but he also prays. "It's kind of like, 'God, we know you have a plan. We don't know what it is, and we don't like it. We know there's something here, but we don't know what it is,'" Eichinger said.

Last week Tara Berendes was moved from the Surgical Intensive Care unit at University Hospital to the Neuro Critical Care unit and has been seen wiggling her hand and toes, opening and closing her eyes — all good signs.

But doctors don't know when she will wake up. And rehabilitation could take months, her father said.

Tara and Josh Berendes originally are from Los Gatos, Calif., near San Jose. They attended the same church. "They fell in love on a mission in Romania where they were helping build an orphanage," Eichinger said.

Josh most likely will take a job in Salt Lake City while his wife recovers. Tara's father hopes to find work as a free-lance computer repairman so he, too, can remain in the area.

The couple's medical insurance had not started because Josh had only recently accepted his job. Medical expenses could be $1 million. Additional information about the couple and how to donate money can be found at www.tarajosh.com.

The Goodman family asks people to give money to the Berendes family. They believe that's what Thad would want.

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E-mail: lhancock@desnews.com