A 76-year-old mother, celebrated for her selflessness, and her two young adopted daughters were tragically killed in a head-on collision in Lake City, leaving a grieving family to remember their shared compassion and love.

Carolyn Raper, 7-year-old Sophia and 5-year-old Faith Ann were involved in a head-on crash on State Road 90 days after Raper’s birthday and right before Thanksgiving Day.

Raper, who has two grown biological daughters named Carolyn Ann Townsend and Tammy Bell, stepped up to the plate and adopted Sophia and Faith Ann -- becoming a young mother later in life.

“Nobody would turn a baby away. Nobody in their right mind would turn a baby away,” Bell said.

Raper took the girls in because their biological family was unable to take care of them.

“He gets a phone call from so

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