Mother, 11-year-old son mourned after deadly Alabama crash: ‘Forever in our hearts’

Mother, 11-year-old son mourned after deadly Alabama crash: ‘Forever in our hearts’

Friends and family are mourning a mother and child killed in Russellville in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday.

Franklin County Coroner Charles Adcox said the incident happened at about 10:15 p.m. in the 17000 block of U.S. 43 South.

Jennifer “Jen” Lachelle Fugate Fretwell, 38, of Phil Campbell, and Austin Jase Fretwell, 11, of Russellville, died in the crash.

Two juveniles were also airlifted from the scene, and a female was transported to a hospital.

According to a GoFundMe page, Austin’s brother Noah, a 10th grader at Russellville High, was airlifted to Birmingham and “is doing much better.”

“The family is devastated and will need help with funeral expenses,” a message on the page reads. As of Friday morning, it had raised more than $7,000 toward a goal of $10,000.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Spry Memorial Chapel in Russellville, with visitation from 12 to 2 p.m.

Members of the Russellville community gathered Thursday night at Russellville Elementary for a prayer vigil in their memory.

According to her obituary, Jennifer worked at IHP Industries.

“She was friendly and outgoing to everyone she met, and she had a beautiful heart. Jen was silly, caring, funny, and always there when you needed her. She was a fierce protector of her boys, her cousins, and all her family,” it reads.

Jase, a fifth grader at Russellville Elementary, had just celebrated his 11th birthday a few weeks ago. He enjoyed wrestling, football, soccer and basketball and cheered for the Tennessee Titans.

“He loved making his cousins laugh, and was very excited to meet his baby sister, Olivia Rayne, in just a couple of months,” his obituary reads. “He was very stylish, always wanted to look good wherever he went. Jase you will be forever in our hearts.”