Georgia preacher watched two sons leave church before both died in fatal car crash
A pastor in the Atlanta area and his wife are grieving and leaning on their faith after learning that two of their teenage sons died in a single-car crash.
A pastor in the Atlanta area and his wife are grieving and leaning on their faith after learning that two of their teenage sons died in a single-car crash Sunday afternoon, Channel 2 News reports.
Coweta County pastor Kevin Royston said he watched his two sons, Joshua Royston, 16, and Kahlil Royston, 17, leave OutReach Church around 1 p.m. on their way to get haircuts in an Infiniti Sedan.
He later received word that the vehicle Kahlil was driving hurled out of control on Smokey Road, went flying through the air and hit trees, killing the two brothers.
A church member told the pastor about the accident and he rushed to the scene.
“Losing two sons at one time — it’s devastating,” Royston said.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, speed may have been a factor. Kahlil apparently entered a curve at an accelerated rate causing the car to leave the roadway, spin around, and hit a fire hydrant sending it airborne. It hit two trees before coming to a stop on its tires.
Royston said Joshua was killed in the crash, and Kahlil died later at an area hospital. He suffered a traumatic brain injury. The family decided to donate his organs.
“It’s difficult for me to process as a father,” said Royston. “If God allowed it, he’s going to give me strength to go through it.”
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“There’s always a bigger picture,” Pastor Royston said. “I didn’t want anything to happen to my sons, but because my faith is in God and not in myself, I know God had a plan. I have to trust God.”
Kahlil’s 18th birthday is just a few days away.
“He was the kind of kid that once he made up his mind, he accomplished it,” his father said. “He was a hard-working and a very independent young man.”
Joshua was planning to become a preacher like his dad.
“He was the one who I felt was going to be a preacher,” he said. “He was less outspoken, but he was very articulate and smart. I believe God has a ram in the bush just like he did then. One of the definitions for faith is trust, and we have to stay connected to him.”
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The brothers attended Newnan High School, which issued a statement on Facebook.
Funeral for Kahill and Joshua will be held on January 30 at St. Smyrna Baptist Church at 11:00AM.
