Snow, sleet and ice made driving treacherous in the Omaha area on December 16th. The weather claimed one life, 32-year-old Gary McGaha.
McGaha’s wife Kristina tells KMTV the couple moved to Omaha from Tuscon, Arizona to start a brand new chapter in their lives. Gary was just accepted into Creighton Law School, Kristina is a full-time student with their two kids.
The two were married for seven years and were high school sweethearts.
“We went to a put-put golf course for our first date and we've been together ever since,” said McGaha.
The couple adopted two kids from the foster care system, 3-year-old Zoe and 1-and-a-half year old Sheldon.
McGaha describes Gary as the man who was a geek at heart and could handle it all, “He became, you know, the perfect husband, best father, he was my everything.”
But everything changed on December 16th when the road conditions became poor-and slick. Douglas County deputies say Gary McGaha's vehicle slid off the road at 186th and State Street, hit a tree and caught fire.
Kristina says Gary would call when he came home from work but this time he didn't so she started to be concerned.
“I was definitely worried that something very tragic had happened,” said McGaha.
When she started to see images of the wrecked vehicle, reality sunk in, “Wen I saw the picture of the accident and I couldn't dismiss that it could be his car.”
Now weeks have gone by-the holiday season past-McGaha admits it's been a very difficult stretch but said somehow her family has to move on, but without the man she loves.
“We're new in town and I don't have my best friend anymore, it's kind of the roughest part of it all is all these new experiences we are going to have, I don't get to share with him now,” said McGaha.
McGaha said the community has been absolutely amazing, even a complete stranger at Costco gave her a hug.
Her father also lives in Omaha to so McGaha said he’s a huge help to her.
In light of this tragedy, McGaha hopes some sort of light can go up in the intersection to keep this from happening to other drivers.
