Parents from Grand Forks remember their beloved daughter who died in a suspected accident while under the influence of alcohol.

GRAND FORKS, ND (Valley News Live) – No matter what situation life throws at you, there is always a reason to find joy.

These words come from the young couple from Grand Forks who lost their six-year-old daughter last week in a suspected drunk driving accident.

“I was told there was a chance none of them would be here. I was grieving for two people,” says Robert Louthain. “It’s a miracle my wife is still here. We’ve talked about it. It’s going to be hard, but the fact that we can support each other gives me hope.”

Robert Louthain’s wife Nicole was stopped at a red light on Highway 2 on Monday, June 3, 2024. Her daughter Katarina was in the car when a driver struck her. Nicole is recovering at home. Katarina died days later in hospital.

The parents don’t want others to remember what happened to their daughter, but rather how she lived her life.

“We were trying to sleep at 2 a.m. and she was screaming Taylor Swift,” says Robert. “She called us downstairs and played as many concerts for us as she could.”

Robert and Nicole remember their daughter as a cheerful, courageous and outgoing woman. They add that she was a real ray of sunshine and a fun-loving girl. From baseball to taekwondo to playing the drums – she never left her parents alone.

She wanted to try everything.

“One moment I often think back to is when Skillet came to Grand Forks. The drummer was a woman and the guitarist was a woman with purple hair,” Robert says. “She always had this absolute admiration for music. When she saw that, she looked at me and said, ‘Dad, girls can be rock stars?’ I told her girls can be anything they want to be.”

But despite everything she wanted to be, she outshone the personality she was. Nicole and Robert always knew this, but until now they didn’t really understand it.

“On my last day with her, I was very lucky to be able to work at the reception. I was able to spend the whole day with her and see her with her friends. She kept coming up to me and saying, ‘Hi mom, look at me.’ She kept coming up to me spontaneously and giving me a kiss,” says Nicole. “The last hours I had with her were full of love and life and constant hugs.”

The Louthains came to Grand Forks two years ago. Robert is in the military and Nicole helps out during the day at a childcare program on base, where she has been able to spend a lot of time with Kat.

They know there are tough days ahead, but they have each other and they will get through it. That’s exactly what Kat would have wanted.

“A $10 decision can save a family and save a period of grief,” says Robert. “The $10 decision often goes unnoticed, but when it’s the decision to get in a car, it can cause a lifetime of pain.”

The family wants others to know how much suffering drinking and driving can cause, but they also have a more important message to share.

“Kat didn’t know how to apologize. She would always say, ‘Mommy, will you forgive me for being sorry?’ I think one reason we’re going through this is because she didn’t want us to wallow in grief. She wanted us to say to the man, ‘I forgive you for being sorry.’ And more importantly, I hope her children know that this doesn’t reflect badly on them and that they are destined for greatness. I don’t want this to overshadow them in the future. Kat wants other children to know how great they are.”

Travis Bell, 43, of Fordville was charged with two counts of assault in connection with the crash that left Katarina dead and Nicole injured. The charge is expected to be upgraded.

There will be a celebration in Katarina’s honor at Grand Forks Air Force Base on Friday.

A GoFundMe page has been created for the family. If you would like to help, click here.

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