(NewsNation) — The three people killed Wednesday when a house exploded in the southern Indiana city of Evansville have been identified as husband and wife, Charles and Martina Hite, and Jessica Teague, their next-door neighbor.
Charlie and Martina loved to do everything together. They loved riding bikes through town, selling wares at the flea market, playing in the Special Olympics, and going to church together.
In fact, perhaps the only thing they loved more than that was each other. Speaking on behalf of the Hite family, pastor John Eaton of Full Gospel Mission says he only remembers a handful of times seeing one without the other.
Susan Adler knew the couple through the Special Olympics, saying that despite challenges and roadblocks they shared through a “tough life,” they did well together and stayed happy together. Adler says Martina always wore purple and Charlie was always a “big teddy bear.” Special Olympics athlete Derek Wilkins says he’ll miss their humor and hanging out with the couple who “will be well missed” by those who knew him.
A day after an explosion suddenly ripped through their home killing them both, Adler, Eaton and others who knew and loved the couple are still shocked.
Eaton said the memories bring tears to his eyes, but then he’ll laugh as he remembers who they were. He says the full impact of their sudden passing hasn’t quite set in yet past the initial shock of the situation. Eaton continued that the two made a great couple and “if you were around them, you was (sic) laughing.”
Jessica Teague, 29, lived next door to the Hites and was pronounced dead at the scene. Records show Teague only moved into the property a few months ago. The cause of the blast has not yet been released.
NewsNation affiliate WEHT contributed to this report.