Grandparents killed in Thanksgiving day pileup on Texas highway were heading ... - New York Daily News

Two Texas grandparents were killed when more than 100 cars crashed on a highway swathed in dense fog and busy with Thanksgiving day traffic.

Vincent Leggio, 64, and his wife, Debra Leggio, 60, were driving to Mississippi for a romantic holiday getaway — a belated celebration for their 42nd wedding anniversary a week before, a family member told the Daily News.

DETAILS: 140 CARS COLLIDE ON TEXAS HIGHWAY

"They were always working or involved with family," said Margie Leggio, Vincent Leggio's sister-in-law. "They were just going to have a weekend by themselves. They were looking forward to it."

The couple was killed when an 18-wheeler crushed their Chevy Suburban SUV.

As many as 90 others were injured in the 140-car collision early Thursday on Interstate 10, about 80 miles east of Houston.
 

"We saw the wreck on the news that morning," Margie Leggio said. "But we had no idea they were involved in it."

Vincent and Debra Leggio's family didn't know they were dead until authorities knocked on their children's door around 4 p.m. that afternoon, hours after the tragic accident, she said.

"It was just a shock to everyone."

The family knew the couple was heading to Mississippi, but thought they were leaving later in the day.

"They were loving, family people," Margie Leggio said. "Fun-loving. Always smiling and laughing. We're going to miss them greatly."

Vincent and Debra Leggio had three children and seven grandchildren.

They were a "nice, quiet and conservative" couple who lived in Pearland, Tex., neighbor Andrew Rubio told the Houston Chronicle.

Vincent Leggio owned an electric contracting company and Debra Leggio spent most of her time at home, babysitting her grandchildren, Rubio said.

After the crash, drivers who were able to get out of their vehicles scrambled to search for victims and sort through the wreckage.

"It's just people helping people," Jefferson County sheriff's Deputy Rod Carroll told The Associated Press. "The foremost thing in this holiday season is how other travelers were helping us when we were overwhelmed, sitting and holding, putting pressure on people that were injured."

At least 10 people remain in serious to critical condition.

The fog Thursday morning was so thick that authorities at first couldn't see that they were dealing with multiple accidents, Carroll said.

The foggy conditions in the Houston area began around midnight Wednesday.

Meteorologists suspect visibility was close to one-eighth of a mile, creating hazardous driving conditions.

rmurray@nydailynews.com

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