‘I was in too much shock’: Survivor recounts crash that killed three teens in Baird

BAIRD, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – On May 5, two vehicles collided at the intersection of West 3rd Street and Peyton Road in Baird taking the lives of Layni Potter and Madi Buchanan, both 18-years-old, as well as the life of 16-year-old Ryan Bilby. This tragic accident left the community in mourning and in shock. Now one of the survivors, 19-year-old Dakota Kitchens is choosing to spend his time honoring his friends.

Recently adding a furry friend into his family, Kitchens was gifted a German Shepard named Kora, who is now working as a therapy dog after the accident caused his anxiety to spike.

“I’ve always had anxiety, but this is the worst it’s ever been, to be honest. I never struggled with this much honestly. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t even get words out of my mouth the cops and paramedics were asking my name and stuff,” explained Kitchens.

Kitchens recalls being in shock and in denial his friends were gone, describing his friend group as people who stick together through thick and thin.

“I guess my mind didn’t want to believe it – I was in too much shock. Even in the hospital I was asking and finally I got told. It took me a while to realize they were gone. I’d go talk to Madi about my problems, and if Bilby knew I was going through something he would tell me to go hang out,” added Kitchens.

Memories of the accident are making it difficult for Dakota to even step foot in a car, but he is thankful for the community support. He’s currently not sure if one day he will be able to forgive the other driver.

“I don’t know where I’d be here right now this community has saved me. Most beautiful people I have ever known so seeing all the love they had made me feel good. I wouldn’t want them to be remembered or honored any other way. I’ve been trying my hardest to stay loyal to God and I know God would not want me to hold hatred for anybody,” said Kitchens.

But with the help of his new therapy dog Kora, he’s healing by spending time at the crash site, as that is the location he feels the closest to his friends, adding the day after the crash he stopped by the location and saw 3 red cardinals. Those signs remind him that his friends love and memories will never go away.

“I’ll go over there and sit down and just kind of pray and start talking to them and me and her just sit there for like an hour and hour and half then we walk back to the house,” shared Kitchens.

In the future, Kitchens hopes to become an animal trainer and teach dogs how to become therapy animals, hoping to help other people find a pet that helps them with their mental health like his dog Kora is doing now.

Ryan’s younger sister Brittney Bilby shares her brother and Dakota always spent time together. Her brother treated every friend like family and sometimes even a stranger.

“They were like brothers and like really good friends and could go to each other anytime they needed to,” explained Bilby.

She tells all those who knew and loved her brother to find comfort in honoring what he liked doing the most, which was loving someone as they were family, using the phrase “Love Like Bilby”.

“He was very open and he liked loved everybody he met and even if it was a stranger at Walmart. . . you would be showing up at our house 2 seconds later even if he just met you. Anybody he was around he just loved them,” explained Bilby.

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