As country music fans Tracy Timmerman and her friend Donna Moore had been looking forward to the Big Valley Jamboree for weeks, they expected lifelong memories, but did not anticipate the tragic ending that would take one of their lives.

"I can't describe it, that's the face I saw right before the storm hit," said Timmerman as she looked at a photo of her friend Donna Moore taken a short time before a windstorm rolled into the Big Valley Jamboree site in Camrose Saturday.

Fierce winds toppled the main stage at the music festival, several people were trapped and Timmerman's best friend, 35-year-old Moore, was crushed to death by a massive speaker.

"I was yelling at her, 'Donna, Donna, get down' and then 'boom' the stage came out from under me," said Timmerman.

Timmerman was soon rushed to hospital to be treated for minor injuries, unaware her friend had been killed.

"I texted her," explained Timmerman. "I said 'Donna it's Tracy, I'm at the hospital, where are you?'"

Timmerman never received a reply.

The collapse injured about 75 people, all of whom have now been released from hospital.

The incident has left many shaken and has forced other to ask questions about why the crowd wasn't warned earlier about the storm.

Big Valley Jamboree organizers say they were on stage ready to warn concert goers right as the storm rolled in. They say their simply was not enough time.

Moore's long time friend Lesa Pasieka accepts that explanation, saying the incident trule was a "freak accident."

"I can't believe her boys have to live without her," said Pasieka. "She was such a loving person. She didn't have a mean bone in her."

Pasieka tried to fight back the tears as she spoke about the 10 and 16-year-old sons Moore has left behind.

While they weren't officially family, Pasieka says Moore became like an aunt to her children over their 12 year friendship.

Pasieka says Moore had VIP seats to the Big Valley Jamboree and had been looking forward to the musical festival in Camrose.

"She was s really big country fan," she said. "She attended Big Valley every year."

While many are questioning the late warning given to the crowd, friends of Moore say they don't blame anyone.

"It was a freak accident," said Pasieka. "It is just really unfortunate that it had to take Donna."

Moore's death has left all of her loved ones trying to make sense of the devastating disaster which claimed; many of whom are still in shock, unable to accept that she is really gone.

"I'm still waiting for that phone call to say 'Trace, I made it home," said Timmerman.

Moore's family plans to hold a funeral in her hometown of Humboldt, Saskatchewan at the end of the week.

With files from Scott Roberts