An 18-year-old and a 24-year-old died on Thursday night after a head-on collision near 212th Avenue on Highway C (Wilmot Road).

Sheriff's deputies found both Emily R. Kidwell, 18, of Trevor, and Kellie M. Donnellan, 24, of Wheatland, trapped in their cars. Kidwell was pronounced dead at the scene after CPR was performed while Donnellan died later at St. Catherine's Medical Center.

According to sheriff reports, Donnellan was heading east on Wilmot Road while Kidwell headed west. Donnellan's car crossed the centerline where it and Kidwell's car collided on a curved portion of the road.

The road was wet at the time of the collision.

The tragedy was intensified as Thursday was Donnellan's birthday and Kidwell had been talking to her 21-year-old Trevor fiancé on her cell phone.

It's unclear whether she was talking to him during the accident, as he was talking to her at 8:50 p.m. The reports said the phone just cut out, but that Kidwell gave no indication the cars were about to collide or that they had.

Her Ford Focus ended in the north ditch about 60 yards west from where Donnellan's Pontiac Grand Am had stopped in the eastbound lane. The debris field was extensive and reports said the cars had no bumpers, grills or headlights on them when deputies arrived.

Kidwell was on her way home from her fiancé's parents' home after having dinner with his family, reports said.

Kidwell's father, Larry, said his family was in shock.

"It's hard to believe it's even happening," he said. "She had so many plans for her future."

Kidwell said his daughter was a University of Wisconsin-Parkside student who was studying nursing. He said she worked with a program called Discovery that helped children with special needs.

He said the children in the program held a special place in Emily's heart, as she did in theirs.

"She just loved those kids," he said. "She'd even take them to the movies on her own. She was always so special."

Deputies are still investigating the accident and its cause.

Both were wearing their seat belts and neither's airbags deployed.

It was unknown if alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.