Young filled a promise he made

Sunday, in part, filled a promise made by Steve Young more than 22 years ago.

On April 23, 1983, a day that changed their lives forever, Steve Young, Eric Hunn and Jill Simmons learned about death on I-80 in Nebraska. In broad daylight on a dry road under sunny skies, all three could have died. Only two survived, when the car in which they were riding rolled over.

Friday, April 22, marked the end of the semester and year in the wet and rainy spring of 1983. Simmons, 19, made plans to drive home to Scarsdale, New York, and asked a friend, Hunn, from Shelley, Idaho, to accompany her and help with the driving chores. Members of Jill's family were longtime friends with the LeGrand Young family of nearby Greenwich. Steve Young had dated Jill's older sister Torri, so there was little question or debate when Jill's father, Ted, concerned about the safety of the long trip, requested that Steve join the 23-year-old Hunn and Jill for the trip home. Ted Simmons, an LDS stake president, was one of those who had called BYU to encourage LaVell Edwards to recruit Steve.

Steve, 21, had just completed his junior year at BYU. Spring football practice was over and the young athlete was earning recognition as a possible all-American candidate. Hunn and Jill had just finished their freshman year. They had planned a trip to Scarsdale and intended to explore New York City for Hunn's benefit. Hunn and Simmons were close friends, nothing more. They were just two students, ready to escape for the summer and put final exams behind them.

On Friday night, Hunn and Simmons attended a wedding reception in Salt Lake City for mutual friends. The plan called for Steve to meet them at the reception. It was 10 p.m. before they piled into Simmons' Chevrolet Citation and headed up Parley's Canyon through Park City toward Wyoming on I-80. Young started driving, with Hunn in the front and Jill taking the back seat.

The trio drove into the night and stopped at a gas station in Wyoming, filling up the gas tank and changing drivers. Hunn took the wheel, with Simmons coming up front. Young quickly fell asleep. The game plan called for one person to stay awake with the driver while the third slept in the back. Said Hunn: "I tried to get Jill to sleep when she was in the back, but she wouldn't. She wanted to stay up. When she got in the front seat with me, she didn't sleep but tried to keep me awake by talking."

Hunn drove the eastern portion of Wyoming, through Laramie and Cheyenne. The car was set on cruise control at 70 miles per hour.