THOMASVILLE, N.C. — Sixty Six Grill and Tap House in Thomasville closed early Thursday as staff grieved for their 18-year-old coworker killed in a crash earlier this week.
Sidney Langston died Monday night on Finch Farm Road in Trinity. 18-year-old Emily McAllister was the driver and is recovering in the hospital.
The two girls worked at Sixty Six Grill. Front of House Manager Jesi Rodriguez said McAllister worked delivery and Langston was a hostess.
"She was the first the first face that everyone saw when they walked in," Rodriguez said.
Since the crash, staff has placed a framed photo of Langston on the counter.
"She was just the most beautiful precious beautiful soul. She was funny, determined and a hard worker," Rodriguez said. "When we look at the picture, I want us to smile. This is how she was so we’re going to try to do the best we can."
Highway Patrol is still investigating the crash. It happened shortly before 10 p.m. Monday on Finch Farm Road near Saddle Club Drive.
Troopers said McAllister was driving a small car when she crossed the center line and hit an SUV head-on. Langston was in the passenger seat and Troopers said neither girl was wearing a seatbelt.
Langston died at the scene. A 57-year-old woman in the SUV and a 14-year-old passenger were also injured in the crash.
Rodriguez said she's visited McAllister in the hospital and is keeping in touch with her mom.
"They're both missing. Even though one is not here physically, my other girl is here physically and I'm grateful for that," Rodriguez said.
She's trying to hold her staff together.
Kendall Rainwater went to school with both girls before they started working at Sixty Six together. She'd known Langston since elementary school.
"She was just the person you needed in your life," Rainwater said. "The kindest most energetic person in the world. She had a way of walking into a room. She could be talking about anything in the world and you just smiled."
She hopes to be that for McAllister as she recovers.
"It was a later friendship but it's something that I hope whenever she's healing and OK I can progress it and be there for her with this hard time," Rainwater said.
Rainwater has started two fundraisers. One will pay for Langston's funeral costs and the other for McAllister's medical bills.
Sixty Six Grill staff attended Langston's visitation on Thursday night. The restaurant will reopen for regular business hours on Friday.