Community rallies around family of 22-year-old killed in crash involving Box Elder County sheriff

SALT LAKE CITY — While the investigation continues into a motorcycle crash involving Box Elder County Sheriff Kevin Potter, a Utah community is rallying around the family of the 22-year-old woman who died from injuries sustained in last month's incident.

As the family of Katie Sue Ruth Huggins prepares to spend the holidays without her, family friend Chelsea Frei hopes to bring them a little joy by helping send them to a place Katie loved: Disneyland.

Frei has known the Huggins family for years. She grew up alongside one of Katie's sisters and remembers being there 14 years ago on Halloween, when Katie dressed as Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" and was officially adopted by Amie Huggins.

Recently, Frei found herself alongside the family again, this time grieving Katie's death.

"I was heartbroken. It was very hard, and that funeral was probably one of the hardest I've ever experienced," Frei said.

Katie was involved in a motorcycle crash on Oct. 27 and died a few days later. Her family said she became an organ donor.

The crash involved Box Elder County Sheriff Kevin Potter and remains under investigation.

For Frei, Katie's sudden death is a reminder of how quickly life can change.

"Those moments aren't promised tomorrow, and as we've learned with Katie, it can be taken in a heartbeat," Frei said. "I mean, she was texting, 'I love you,' that morning, and then you get that phone call."

Frei said the Huggins family is hurting but wants to remember Katie for the joy and love she brought into their lives.

Katie, whose nickname was "Goofy Sue," was one of four daughters adopted by Amie Huggins, a single mother. Huggins is a teacher and an advocate for foster care and adoption, and Frei said she built her family around love and acceptance.

"Just a family that really came together full of love. Like, that family is very intentional in the relationships that they've built… every single person has worked hard to build that relationship and watching that be taken is heartbreaking," Frei said.

The Huggins family is also clinging to memories of Katie and her love of Disneyland, animals and "The Wizard of Oz."

Frei hopes to raise $7,000 for the entire family, which includes Huggins, her daughters and grandchildren, to travel to Southern California.

"I just wanted to give them something to look forward to and more memories to make in Katie's name," Frei said.

A *GoFundMe has been established to raise funds for the trip.

On Thursday, Huggines released a statement:

"For our family, Disney has always been so much more than a vacation destination. It was our happy place, where we came together, made memories, and celebrated the magic of being a family in our own wonderfully unconventional way. Katie even earned her own nickname: "Goofy Sue," a name that fit her perfectly and will forever make us smile. It was a place where Katie felt safe, happy, and, most importantly, like she belonged. On our last trip, Katie told us it was the first time she truly felt like she belonged with everyone. Those words will stay with us forever. We had already been dreaming about and planning our next family trip for next year, something Katie was especially excited about. We will forever hold onto the memories made in that place, the laughter, the magic, and the feeling of being together. We only wish we had one more trip, one more memory, and one more chance to experience that magic with our Goofy Sue."

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