"We heard this big loud crash, so we turned around and thought 'what on earth?', then we turned around and just saw stuff flying", says Heather Couch, friend and accident witness.
Heather Couch says that she and Tina Brown were like sisters, which made the horrific death of her dear friend even harder to witness.
"There were no vehicles in sight, and all of a sudden we turned back around and bam, it happened so fast", explains Couch.
Brown was well known in the homeless community in Abilene, and was on her way to Love and Care Ministries to seek shelter, moments before she was hit.
"We were going to talk to Mark to see if we could get a couple of nights in a room, because we are in tents. Me and Tina stayed up all night because we were so cold", Couch tells us.
"The sad thing for us is that she was on her way over here today to ask Pastor Mark for a hotel room, because they were so cold last night", says Mark Hewitt, founder of Love and Care Ministries.
South 1st is a street notorious for heavy traffic, and has claimed the lives of several pedestrians in recent years.
"Tina is probably our third or fourth person that's been killed in that area. Train tracks or whatever it may be, we have to be safe", explains Hewitt.
Heather says she is still in shock, but trying to focus on the good memories she had with her friend, including the plans they would have been celebrating Thursday night.
"I just can't believe it. We had all these plans. Today is my birthday, and we were gonna go eat Chinese", Couch tells us.
Heather's hope is that her friends life would serve as an example to live selflessly, but that her death would also serve as an example, to always be aware of your surroundings.
Mark Hewitt, of Love and Care Ministries, told us they are working closely with Abilene Police to help reduce pedestrian accidents, especially since many homeless people travel only by foot around the city.
At this point they are discussing the idea of offering free reflective vests to homeless people, so drivers can better see them, even in the dark.
Heather Couch says that she and Tina Brown were like sisters, which made the horrific death of her dear friend even harder to witness.
"There were no vehicles in sight, and all of a sudden we turned back around and bam, it happened so fast", explains Couch.
Brown was well known in the homeless community in Abilene, and was on her way to Love and Care Ministries to seek shelter, moments before she was hit.
"We were going to talk to Mark to see if we could get a couple of nights in a room, because we are in tents. Me and Tina stayed up all night because we were so cold", Couch tells us.
"The sad thing for us is that she was on her way over here today to ask Pastor Mark for a hotel room, because they were so cold last night", says Mark Hewitt, founder of Love and Care Ministries.
South 1st is a street notorious for heavy traffic, and has claimed the lives of several pedestrians in recent years.
"Tina is probably our third or fourth person that's been killed in that area. Train tracks or whatever it may be, we have to be safe", explains Hewitt.
Heather says she is still in shock, but trying to focus on the good memories she had with her friend, including the plans they would have been celebrating Thursday night.
"I just can't believe it. We had all these plans. Today is my birthday, and we were gonna go eat Chinese", Couch tells us.
Heather's hope is that her friends life would serve as an example to live selflessly, but that her death would also serve as an example, to always be aware of your surroundings.
Mark Hewitt, of Love and Care Ministries, told us they are working closely with Abilene Police to help reduce pedestrian accidents, especially since many homeless people travel only by foot around the city.
At this point they are discussing the idea of offering free reflective vests to homeless people, so drivers can better see them, even in the dark.
