Doerksen Family mourns five siblings killed in Ontario crash
The doerksen family is mourning five siblings killed in a rural Ontario crash on Friday evening, and Nancy Doerksen said the family’s heartbreak and grief are beyond words. She posted a crowdfunding appeal after the collision in Mapleton Township, northwest of Guelph.
The children were ages four, six, eight, 10 and 12. By Tuesday afternoon, more than $250,000 had been raised to help with funeral costs and unexpected travel.
Mapleton Township crash
Investigators said a passenger van carrying 10 people and an SUV carrying one person collided around 7:30 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Wellington Road 12 and Fourth Line. The five children who died were all siblings of Nancy Doerksen, who said she was not travelling in the vehicle at the time.
Doerksen said the family photo on the fundraising page was the most recent picture of the whole family, taken two weeks before the crash on her wedding day. That image now sits alongside the appeal for help as relatives face burial plans, travel needs and hospital care at the same time.
Nancy Doerksen fundraiser
Nancy Doerksen said her mother remains in the hospital with injuries to her kidney, liver, gallbladder, broken ribs and pelvic bone, along with extensive bruising and trauma. She said, "At this time, we are unsure how long her recovery will take."
She said her father is recovering at home and described him as someone who "cares for our family and helps everyone through the difficult days, weeks, and months ahead." She also said her infant brother has been released from the hospital, while one of the two friends traveling in the van remains in hospital in stable condition.
Family support effort
The crowdfunding page was created to ease the financial burden from funeral costs and unexpected travel. Doerksen said, "This support will allow our family to focus on healing, recovery, and being together during this incredibly difficult time," as the family sorts through the loss of five children and the injuries to those who survived.
