HAZLETON — Some of those who knew the victims of the crash in Carbon County are devastated hearing that Carola Sauers was killed and her husband Michael seriously hurt.
They lived in a neighborhood of Hazleton for around 40 years, where Carola will be missed.
Carola Sauers is being remembered as a nature lover, master gardener, and kind woman.
Neighbors had tears in their eyes as they talked about her and say what happened to the couple was a shame and unnecessary.
The news about what happened to Michael and Carola Sauers along Route 209 in Nesquehoning spread quickly.
“It’s a shame. It’s a real shame.”
Neighbors in Hazleton, including Robert Scarcella, were stunned hearing Carol, as they knew her, was killed.
“She actually did the roof, put the roof on herself!”
From doing the roof to much more, Scarcella says Carol was always busy. Recently he watched as she was repairing the chimney next door. He was amazed at all the gardening she did on her property and his.
“She asked me if she could plant all these plants out here. She took care of it. She likes planting a lot, a lot of planting,” Scarcella recalled.
At one point, Carol’s love of gardening had her very involved in a nearby community garden in Butler Township. Those who knew her there were also very saddened hearing the news.
Carol worked at the Center for Landscape Design and Stewardship community garden. Carol and her husband Michael donated what’s called a rain garden there.
It seems all those who knew her knew of her love for plants and animals.
“She loved nature and loved people and was just a very happy simple woman and it’s just so sad to hear she’s gone,” said neighbor Renee Kowalczyk.
Now all the plants around her home stand as a memorial of sorts to Carola Sauers, while neighbors question what happened on Route 209, in the police involved crash that killed her.
“It’s a shock, yes, just something to me that seems so unnecessary.”
Neighbors say the Sauers were often back and forth between their home in Hazleton and another one they recently bought in Carbon County.
Those neighbors now offer prayers for Michael Sauers who is still in the hospital.
