ATV accident kills Wasilla family man

July 7, 2006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

MAT-SU -What was supposed to be a fun weekend camping trip turned to tragedy for a Wasilla family July 1.

Robert Christopher Ezell, 31, with his wife, Gertrude, and children, Sarah, Bekah, Drake, Jessie and Christina (&#8220Buggy”), were camping in the Jim Creek area of the Knik River Flats.

Ezell, alone on his Yamaha 660 ATV, was wearing a helmet and not drinking, according to a report from the Alaska State Troopers.

But Ezell lost control of the ATV and flipped end-over-end shortly before 2:30 p.m. He was thrown about 100 feet from the machine, troopers said.

Ezell's mother, Mary Lawson, from Virginia, spoke about her son and his family.

&#8220It was a freak accident,” Lawson said. &#8220He loved ATVs, he had helmets, and he took all the precautions.”

His family was about two minutes away from him when he crashed, Lawson said. Emergency responders worked on her son for about an hour but couldn't bring him back, she said.

Ezell was born and raised in Virginia.

In addition to his mother and her husband, Wayne, Ezell had another set of parents, Rob and Anne Ezell, in North Carolina, as well as an older sister, Pansy, and younger brother, Cam.

Ezell came to Wasilla about 10 years ago, Lawson said.

&#8220He came up here on his own with nothing,” she said. &#8220And he made a home and a family. We are so proud of our son, all of the parents.”

Ezell worked on the North Slope in water treatment, and collected comic books, Lawson said.

Ezell's family, including his mother-in-law, Deborah Hudson of Pennsylvania, gathered in Wasilla this week. For Lawson, it was a second visit.

In April, she came to visit the family she hadn't seen in four years, not realizing at the time how important that visit would be.

&#8220He loved it here,” Lawson said. &#8220Now I know how fabulous it is.”

And although her son is gone, Lawson said he left behind a gift that has given the family great strength.

&#8220Gertie is pregnant with twin boys,” Lawson said. &#8220Chris and Gertie were definitely soul mates.

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@ frontiersman.com.