Family of mother, son killed in crash speak out

ASHBY, Mass. (WHDH) -- A mother and son who shared a love of firefighting were together on Sunday in a crash that claimed both their lives.

“They are together and that’s probably a good thing even though it’s harder for us. They were very connected. One didn’t go places without the other,” said a family member.

Ashby firefighter Michelle Marten was behind the wheel according to her mom when investigators say her car crossed the road and hit a pick-up truck coming the other way. The driver of the truck was also an Ashby firefighter.

He's hurt but expected to survive.

Marten was a third generation firefighter and her son Justin was on the road to join the tradition.

“He was going to join the fire department. That was going to be his dream. He wanted to follow in his great-grandpa’s and his grandpa’s and his mom’s steps,” said Terry Hansen, victim’s mother.

Members of the small volunteer department draped black bunting on their building as they tried to cope with the loss.

“We’re doing okay. A lot of the members are starting to filter in now to see what they can do,” said Chief William Seymour Jr., Ashby Fire Department.

The firefighters remember Justin as a good kid who was going to become one of them and they join the family recalling his mom as a free spirit who helped everyone.

“The best sister you could ever want. We did everything together. If one wasn’t well or something was wrong the other one always knew it. And yesterday morning, well, I knew things weren’t going right,” said Kathy Meade, victim’s sister.

Michelle also had a 13-year-old daughter who is being taken care of by her grandparents.