- Two cousins, Mitch Farnsworth and Don Herbert, died in a crash near Strawberry.
- Family and friends remember their inseparable bond and impact on the community.
- Mitch was a recovery pillar; Don leaves a son. Funeral details pending.
HEBER CITY — Heartbreak and tragedy just outside of the small town of Heber, where two close cousins — known for being inseparable — lost their lives over the weekend.
Family and friends say if you saw one, you always saw the other. Mitch Farnsworth, 34, and Don Herbert, 39, grew up together, worked together, lived together — and tragically died together.
"They were among my best friends," said Randy Schroeder, a lifelong friend. "It's Mitch and Don. You don't really think of Don without Mitch, and Mitch without Don."
According to authorities, the two were heading home Saturday afternoon along U.S. 40 near Strawberry Reservoir when a box truck suddenly veered into their lane and hit their pickup truck head‑on.
Schroeder said he'll never forget receiving the phone call. "She said, 'Randy, I've got the worst news.' And it truly was the worst news."
Schroeder was especially close to Mitch. The two met through recovery, where Mitch had been clean for eight years and was now dedicated to helping others.
"Mitch was a pillar in the recovery community, a healer. There are countless people in and around (Heber) who found their way to sobriety because when they walked in the room, they could relate to Mitch, they could see themselves in Mitch," Schroeder said.
Mitch's fiancé, HayLee Young, said the cousins' impact on the people around them was extraordinary.
"I've never seen two individuals who have impacted more lives than they have," she said. "I can wholeheartedly say they met me at the perfect time in my life. Without them I don't know who I would be today."
The family says the two lived like brothers — inseparable in life, and now inseparable in death.
"If this is the way that God wanted it, this is the way it was going to go," Young said with emotion. "Do any of us like it? No. But we know they're together. And that's what counts right now."
Friends Marsha and Bruce Peatross say, "Mitch has always been like a son to us. He was always there if we needed anything. He'll never be forgotten."
Another close friend, N. Foster said, "Mitch and Don were two of the kindest, most generous, and warm hearted people I've ever known. Their loss leaves an enormous void."
"Mitch helped anyone he could to make it out of addiction. He saved lives and Don didn't know how to be a stranger. You met him once and you had a friend for life," said friend B. Rasmussen.
Don Herbert leaves behind a 19‑year‑old son.
Funeral arrangements for both men are still pending.
The investigation continues into why the truck veered into their lane.
