FREMONT, Neb. - As the pain of last week’s devastating Horizon BioFuels explosion continues to ripple across Nebraska, one family’s heartbreak is felt in Sidney, the hometown of a mother now grieving the loss of her daughter.

Brittney Short, a 2015 Sidney High School graduate, is mourning the death of her daughter, 8-year-old Fayeah. Fayeah's sister, 12-year-old Hayven Danielson, and their father, 32-year-old Dylan Danielson, were also killed in a powerful explosion July 29 at the Fremont plant where Dylan worked.

The mayor of Fremont said the girls were waiting for their dad to finish his shift so they could head to a doctor’s appointment. 

“Fayeah was the most loving, energetic little girl you would ever meet,” Fayeah's Aunt Brittany Swires told News Channel Nebraska. “She had this sassiness about her that made you love her.”

Fayeah, who would've started third grade this fall, was known for her love of the Disney character Stitch and her enthusiasm for Taylor Swift’s music. Her family says she enjoyed singing and dancing, learning video games like Fortnite and talking endlessly during video chats with relatives.

“She would scream at the top of her lungs every time she won a game,” Swires said. “She loved to video chat her family who didn’t live close and would talk your ear off about any little thing that happened.”

One of Fayeah’s favorite recent memories, her aunt said, was a fishing trip with her stepfather, Dylan Tschantre. She proudly caught the biggest carp of her life and couldn’t stop smiling when she pulled it from the water.

Swires said Brittney is doing her best to cope with the unimaginable loss, leaning on loved ones as she grieves the loss of her daughter.

“A mother is never prepared for something like this,” Swires said. “She takes the struggle day by day. It’s still unbearable.”

Swires described Fayeah as a proud big sister and an “amazing” child who brought joy to everyone she encountered.

“She didn’t deserve to have her time cut short,” Swires said. “Neither did Hayven. They were amazing girls with a bright future.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help Brittney and her family: Support Brittney and Family.

The Nebraska State Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate the cause of the explosion. Recovery crews located all three victims in the wreckage by the following day.