Local News

COTTONWOOD, Minn. (AP) ― Katie Louwagie's laugh starts on her tongue and rolls down her throat and deep into her belly. A full laugh, full of gusto.

For those who know Katie, it must be good to hear her laugh. Katie, 8, was one of at least 12 children injured in the fatal Lakeview school bus crash at the intersection of Minnesota Highway 23 and Lyon County Road 24 in February.

Four students -- Emilee Olson, Reed Stevens and brothers Hunter and Jesse Javens -- were killed in that crash.

Katie was among several injured students who were recently willing to share thoughts on their recovery and how, while it's been more than five months since the crash, the healing continues. The students said there are often powerful reminders of Feb. 19.

"I worry when I get to the intersection. I stare at my feet and think of Hunter, Jesse, Emilee and Reed," Katie said.

"I kind of worry about my brother because his best friend died. My brother Paul's friend was Jesse. My brother Michael's friend was Hunter. I picture them (Hunter and Jesse) smiling now and never sad," Katie added.

"I'm scared when a car's coming and it looks like it will hit you," said Sidnee Olson, whose sister Emilee was killed.

"I worry whenever I go past a curve or a sharp turn," Taylor Pickthorn said.

The students said they are also reminded of the Lakeview bus crash when similar incidents happen, such as the bus crash that killed a Barnesville teen on Interstate 94 near Albertville in April.

"I worry about other people who've had the same thing happen and what they are going through," Kari Louwagie said.

One by one, the injured students were able to return to school after the crash. Some had injuries that had healed. Others still faced additional surgery and rehabilitation. Almost all returned with physical scars.

The wounds the public doesn't see, those are the ones that still require attention and the support of friends, family and the general public, the kids said.

"I'm usually OK," said Erin Stevens, whose brother Reed was one of the children killed. "We had a check-in with our counselor on points."

Five is so-so and 10 is great. Erin says she's been anywhere from less than five to nearly 10. "Usually I'm 7-ish," she said.

Her brother, Sawyer, doesn't rate that high, he said. "Things suck," Sawyer said. "I'm kind of waiting for the day things will get better."

Sawyer had extensive injuries and continues to do rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic.

"I'm still kind of different," Sidnee Olson said. "Life is different without Emilee."

"I think it's gotten a little better since the crash. There is still sadness," Taylor said. "We lost people from our school. If I lost anybody from my family I'd feel bad. We're feeling bad for those people."

Support came from friends and family throughout the past five months, students said.

"It was OK," Rilee Olson said of returning to school. He said seeing his friends again was the best part.

"My friends were, and are, really supportive," Kari said. "They are willing to listen to you."

"I'm glad (my friends) are keeping us in their prayers," Sidnee said.

Support has also come from adults and from others who sent cards, letters, posters and other items to families and the school.

"This person I didn't know, she just gave me a great big hug," Katie said of one encounter with an adult. "That made me happy."

What didn't help, Sidnee said, was to see all the posters at school come down two weeks after he returned. Other students agreed it would have been more helpful to them and other students to have at least some posters stay up for the remainder of the school year.

School is now out and summer vacation has started. The students have plans to attend sports or Bible camp. Or, they have plans to go on vacations with family and hang out with friends.

But people shouldn't forget them or other students at the school, or the families, the students said.

"Adults can still be there for you," Kari said. "They can give you someone to talk to."

"Your friends at school, you don't see them a lot during the summer. Other people still need support (too)," Erin said.

Sawyer said the questions or the conversations with adults and others need to continue, even if he sometimes doesn't feel like talking.

"That's OK," Sawyer said. "They are trying to make it better."

"People can still give us hugs and stuff," Sidnee said.

"Adults, what they can do for us is they can pray for us, pray for the families who had kids hurt and who lost kids. Keep us in their prayers," Taylor said.

Because while the kids, like Katie, can laugh these days, there is still pain.

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Cottonwood is located west of the Twin Cities.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)