‘He was her best friend’: Family horse euthanized after being hit by van

MONROE, N.C. — A family in Monroe is living through tragedy after a beloved riding horse was hit by a van and had to be put down.

It happened on New Salem Road in Union County the Sunday before Fourth of July. A father was riding the horse, named Shadow, when a driver slammed into them.

Channel 9′s Dan Matics visited the Hochstetler’s home, and it’s clear their love for horses is in their DNA.

“He was like her counselor, he was her best friend,” said Sarell Hochstetler, describing her daughter’s love for Shadow.

Last Sunday, Sarell’s husband, Jeff, took Shadow for an evening ride down New Salem Road. She says a transit van came barreling down the road.

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“He tried to pull the horse off the side of the road and take all the precautions that he could, but they just ran right back into the horse and threw him on the windshield and back over the car into the ditch,” Sarell said.

Jeff was rushed to a hospital to be treated for a head injury. Sarell says he’s experiencing stress from the trauma of the accident, but he’s expected to recover.

“He is a walking miracle, he hit the windshield; I don’t know many people who walk away from those things,” Sarell said.

After the accident, Shadow managed to make his way home.

But Shadow was hurt so badly from the crash that a veterinarian had to put him down.

“There’s definitely a lot of memories attached to this halter,” said Korie Hochstetler.

Korie told Matics that she finds comfort in being there for Shadow’s final moments.

“I’m at peace that he came home and passed here, and he didn’t run off into a random area,” Korie said.

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The family says the driver of the van called 911 and stayed at the scene. There’s no word from authorities on whether any charges will be filed.

The family now has medical bills that are mounting, and a Gofundme has been set up to help support them following the crash.

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