Amish toddler is sole survivor of crash that killed seven community members
A two-year-old boy was the sole survivor of a horrifying crash in Wisconsin last Friday that killed nine people.
A large van and a lorry crashed into each other, sadly killing nine people, including seven members of an Amish community who were all family members. The accident happened last Friday on a main road in western Wisconsin, southeast of Eau Claire.
This little boy lived after the impact of the crash threw him from the van. Witnesses who happened to be there at the time managed to grab the little boy and rescue him, as his siblings unfortunately died inside the vehicle. "I think God put me there for a reason," said the hero, Nathaniel Jahn. But, unfortunately, Mr Jahn couldn't save anyone else as the van caught fire. Both the drivers and seven passengers in the van were killed.
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A horror crash killed a family in Wisconsin (WTMJ-TV)Sadly, among those who died in the crash were the little surviving boy's baby sister, both of his parents, his grandmother, and two aunts. Nearly all the victims in the van were from an Amish community living in a rural area in Virginia. The ages of the victims ranged from six months old to 44 years old, reports PEOPLE.
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The victims killed in the van have been identified as James McCoy, the 45-year-old driver of the van, Linda Byler, 44, Lydia Byler, 24, Orlah Schrock, 24, Ellen Schrock, 23, Delilah Schrock, 21, Suzanna Hertzler, 18, and Ellen and Orlah's 6-month-old daughter Judy Rose Schrock, according to NBC affiliate WTMJ-TV.
The man driving the van was 45 years old and from Pounding Mill, Virginia. Governor Tony Evers discussed the situation on social media. "Kathy and I are saddened today by the fatal crash that occurred in Clark County, tragically taking nine lives," Evers wrote. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of all those involved, as well as the first responders who worked quickly to provide support at the scene."
A family friend said the lone survivor of the crash was a two-year-old boy. (WTMJ-TV)Lavada Stout, McCoy’s ex-wife, told WTMJ-TV that her ex-husband “was fun to be around” and “somebody I could confide in.” She also said he was someone she could trust her life with, even though they had previously divorced. “I still had confidence in him, we’d still go places and stuff like that, I mean, he was my best friend,” Stout explained.
Thousands are expected to come pay their respects to the family, and so far, a GoFundMe campaign for the victims’ families is taking donations to help cover the funeral costs.
More than 1,000 people are expected to visit the Amish community in Burke's Garden to mourn those lost in the collision, Thompson Valley Fire and Rescue said.
Jodi White, a resident of Burke's Garden, said about half of the 300-person community "are probably Amish," according to WTMJ-TV. "They're a big part of our community and they're our friends and our neighbours," she added.
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