CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — One year ago, the family of Phil Paxson was hit with tragedy: the beloved husband and father died after his Jeep careened off of a washed-out bridge in Catawba County.
Since then, lawyers have investigated who could be held responsible after state troopers noted barricades warning drivers about the bridge were removed, Paxson's family has sued Google under the claim faulty Google Maps data was to blame, and now the family is suing the developers behind the neighborhood that owns the bridge.
Alicia Paxson, Phil's wife, says a year later, it still doesn't feel real for her and their children.
"It's hard to think he's not going to be making any more memories," she told WCNC Charlotte reporter Jesse Pierre, "or just being around the kids and seeing those milestones."
At the family home, Alicia Paxson flipped through their wedding album, reminiscing on the budding love they had. She said they were engaged not long after they started dating.
"It was sort of a fairytale whirlwind," she said. "He was 30 and I was 28 and around that time, you kind of already know what you want. And so we got engaged after three months."
To be fair, Alicia said Phil was ready rather early into their relationship.
"He bought the ring like a month and a half later, but I didn't know that," she said, laughing as she spoke.
Over the years, the family grew and Phil became the voice of reason. Alicia said he embodied the ideal "girl dad" as well for their daughters.
"Very level-headed as far as trying to teach them life lessons," she said. "He always said we have to prepare them and teach them so that later in life they can succeed."
He was also a noticeable man standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall. Alicia also said he lived life fully.
"He was so full of life, so strong," she said, "and you would never think anything could touch him or hurt him. And he was the best driver."
The family celebrated Phil's birthday in July with cake and a special tradition: a bonfire. The Paxsons would hold on to their Christmas trees and save them for summer. This year, they burned the trees to remember Phil.
This week, Phil's children made bracelets for him and visited the funeral home, which Alicia said helped them with finding closure in the aftermath.
"We went there and I said 'Do you want to play him a song', and we played him a silly song that he loved, and Amelia read him a letter," she said, referring to one of their daughters.
Phil's ashes are stored in the family room at home, and Alicia says they're hanging on to memories of happy times with him to get through each day.
"I think it gets different where it is not so fresh, and everything you look at brings that back," she said. "I can laugh and have the kids remember the good times."
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.