Community coming together to help: 2 killed, 1 critically injured in Berrien County crash

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. (WNDU) - 42-year-old Robert Keys was driving with his two sons in the car Monday evening when he lost control, crossed into oncoming traffic, and was hit by another vehicle.

This has devastated so many, including those at First Church in St. Joe where the mother of the two boys attends.

“Ashley and her boys, Sylas and Elliot, have attended our church. Ashley is a part of what we call our table groups, which are discipleship groups. And she was actually in her table group on Monday night with her group of women when she got the call about the accident,” First Church Pastor of Adult Discipleship Crystal Colp said.

Crystal says they quickly jumped into action to help Ashley by creating a GoFundMe that has surpassed 50 thousand dollars.

“Ashley, as I spoke with her this morning, she just was so grateful for the outpouring of support that she’s already had and what she’s seeing, in tangible and non-tangible ways,” Colp said.

Elliot is still in the hospital, and Crystal says a prayer vigil was held outside his school Tuesday morning.

“Right now she has to hold in tandem that grief and the loss that she’s experienced along with the strength she needs to support Elliot in this journey he is on to heal,” Colp said.

Colp says Ashley is a single mother and self-employed, and all of the support from the community right now means so much.

“Ashley, yeah when I asked her today, she said I don’t really have the words right now. She said I think it’s just important for people to know that I loved my boys,” Colp said.

If you want to donate to the GoFundMe supporting 8-year-old Elliot and his family, click here.

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