A lost life, a lost home hit family: Everett man killed on trip overseas

An Everett man was killed and his family injured during a long-anticipated trip to Spain last month.

Now, his wife and daughter have returned to Washington, only to learn they are soon to lose their home.

Dan and Carmen Steinmetz had been looking forward all summer to their trip for a family reunion in October.

For months, the couple had managed an Everett apartment complex while working side jobs to save up money. They planned to spend a week in Spain with their 10-year-old daughter, Cori, visiting Carmen's relatives and sightseeing.

But while en route to the reunion last month, their rented minivan collided head-on with another car on a busy, narrow road near Soria, Spain.

Police there are still investigating the crash, which killed the three occupants of the other vehicle and sent everyone in the minivan — Dan, Carmen, Cori and Carmen's father, sister and stepmother — to the hospital.

Dan, 31, was unconscious when he was airlifted to the hospital in Burgos, Spain, and slipped into a coma and died two weeks later, on Oct. 29.

Both Carmen, 30, and Cori were seriously injured. One of Carmen's eyes was gashed, and she was severely bruised all over her body. Cori had two broken collarbones and a broken pelvis and temporarily must use a wheelchair.

Their wounds are healing, but they, and everybody else who knew Dan, are struggling to come to grips with his death.

"The reality of it just hasn't sunk in," said Elisha Kapity, a close friend of the family who traveled to Spain to be with Carmen and Cori in the days after the crash.

Friends say Dan Steinmetz was as selfless in death as he was in life: An organ donor, he saved three people the day he died.

He was remembered yesterday as an avid outdoorsman, a thrill-seeker who had tried skydiving and bridge-jumping and who dreamed of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

He was devoted to his wife and stepdaughter and was an active member of the Seattle Church of Christ. A former chef, he loved to cook and was known for his barbecuing skills and homemade marinades, which were "the highlight of any church outing," said family friend Dale Lundgren.

Friends described him as a handyman who could fix almost anything, who had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and who was always willing to help a neighbor.

"He really just had an awesome heart," Kapity said.

A little more than a week ago, Cori flew home with Kapity while Carmen remained in Spain, working with government officials to arrange to bring Dan's ashes home.

She finally arrived in Washington late Friday night, more than three weeks after the accident.

The family is planning a memorial service for Nov. 26, but that date could change, Kapity said.

Now, the survivors face more bad news: The apartment building Carmen and Dan managed is being sold, and the new owners won't need Carmen to manage the complex. The new owners have agreed to let the family stay through the end of the year.

"Not only are they losing their job, they're losing their home," Kapity said.

The family also has to find a way to resolve thousands of dollars in debt, much of it from paying for flight school for Dan, Kapity said.

"They were just getting by with Dan around, and now that he's gone, they're going to definitely have a change of lifestyle," Lundgren said.

Church members have rallied around Carmen and Cori and have offered to cook meals, clean the house and do other chores for the family, Lundgren said.

"Emotionally, we can support her," he said. "But there's only so much we can do for her financially."

To help ease the financial burden, friends have set up an account to raise money for the two. Donations may be made at the Cascade Bank in the QFC at Harbour Pointe, 11700 Mukilteo Speedway, Suite 302, Mukilteo, WA 98275.

Jessica Blanchard: 206-464-3896 or jblanchard@seattletimes.com