Father of 6, nephew killed in crash 'always had smiles on their faces'

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that two family members died when two trucks collided at a busy intersection in Forsyth County.

A garbage truck hit a dump truck head-on Monday at Castleberry Road and Atlanta Highway.

Two people in the garbage truck were killed. Officials say the victims were Rodrick Thompson, 38, and his nephew Tashaun Thompson, 22. Rodrick Thompson leaves behind six children.

TRENDING STORIES:

• EQUIFAX BREACH: Consumer Adviser Clark Howard answers YOUR questions 
• Police searching for missing 81-year-old with Alzheimer's
• Family of Georgia Tech shooting victim demanding answers

For the first time since the deadly crash we're hearing from the family devastated by loss.

Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez spoke to the wife of Rodrick Thompson and the fiance of Tashaun Thompson.

"I've been walking around with a piece of his clothing, just to smell him," Megan Jackson said Tuesday night. Jackson and Rodrick Thompson were married for the past eight years.

"Sometimes I don't know how I'm going to go on," she said.

Jackson told Jaquez it's hard for her to fathom the details of the crash because Rodrick Thompson was a skilled truck driver who had never been in an accident.

"I am hurt, because we came up here to better our lives, not end them," she said.

Also distraught is Cheyann George. She told Jaquez she and Tashaun recently moved here from Alabama and moved in with Megan and Roderick and their kids until they could get on their feet.

"It's the hardest thing I have ever dealt with in my life. I have never lost someone so close to me," George said.

Channel 2's Mike Petchenik has learned the two played rugby for a group called the Alpharetta Bulls. Both men worked for Allegiance Sanitation out of Alpharetta.

Kurt Barnes is the president of the Alpharetta Rugby Club, and the Thompsons were his teammates.

"These were some great guys, hard-working and prayers go out to them and their families," Barnes said.

The team is now mourning this big loss and has set up a fundraiser to help the family with funeral arrangements.

"We're coming together and we want to help the family because they are our family. They're our rugby family," said Barnes.

Cox Media Group