“The phone went silent” recalls wife talking with trucker at time of fatal wreck with RV
The wife of a trucker killed in a dramatic wreck with an RV less than two weeks ago continues to share insight into their lives together as a tribute to her late husband.
Ericka Shade says that she was on a three-way call with her husband, trucker James Shade, and their son the moment the driver got into the wreck.
“We heard screeching and the phone went silent,” recalled Ericka Shade. “And Jimmy wasn’t saying anything and of course I’m saying ‘Hon! Hon!’ and Connor’s saying ‘Dad! Dad!’ and he’s not answering.”
James Shade died in the wreck heard on the phone that night. Since then, his family has taken to the news to share the life they had built together. In an interview with Local News 21, Ericka recounts the fun they would have traveling OTR together, and describes James as her soulmate.
“My nickname for him was Pooh bear. He was definitely one of a kind and there’s no one that can replace him.”
“He’s been all over the place,” Ericka shared. “He’s been in Massachusetts, out near California, Tennessee, Mississippi, he’s been everywhere,” she continued.
Ericka says that James was the main financial supporter of their family, but hopes that his life insurance will help her and her 19, 18, and 16 year old children get by for now.
“What he brought home in a week took me two weeks to make,” she said. “It’ll [the life insurance] get us through and I’m gonna keep working to give me something to do.”
Listen to the interview below.