FERGUS FALLS, Minn. 鈥� Steve and Diane Christianson celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary Wednesday, Sept. 30. Two days later, a drive through town cost them their lives.
A police chase through Fergus Falls, Minn., ended Friday, Oct. 2, when the driver fleeing police collided with the vehicle driven by the Christiansons, killing both of them.
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Earlier that same day, Diane's brother, Orv Askeland, was celebrating his engagement on the family farm in Iowa.
It was "totally fun with toasts being shared all around," Askeland said.
Two of his three living brothers and sisters were there to celebrate, but their mood changed a few hours later. Their baby sister, Diane, who did not make the five-hour trip, had died in a car crash.
"It was brutal. Unbelief. There's gotta be some mistake," Askeland said.
Diane left Iowa in high school to attend Hillcrest Academy in Fergus Falls. It was there she eventually met the love of her life, Steve Christianson. It would be a few years before Steve would ask Diane's father for his blessing, even though he was an instant fit into the family.
"I think he was slower on the draw than my dad and mom expected," Askeland said with a chuckle.
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They settled in Steve's hometown, living in the same house their entire lives and raising their two sons.
"They both loved the outdoors, even before their marriage, the beauty of the fall season," Askeland said.
Diane had her garden. Steve was known as having the best fish fry in town.
"Since retirement, they were together nonstop, they were each other's best friends," Askeland said.
The mourning brother is trying to overcome the pain of losing Diane by looking at a recent picture, the last one he has with all his siblings together from a birthday just a few weeks ago.
"She is one of the most tender-hearted people I have ever known," he said.
The family says they don't know what Steve and Diane were doing out that night, and they may never know.
