How four children who lost both parents and baby sister in a fatal crash are doing now

Earlier this year, on April 7, the lives of the Clemens family changed forever when they lost three members in a devastating traffic accident.

Karisa and Jim Clemens were happy to be building their own family of seven when tragedy struck. They shared 5 beautiful children: Angela, 8, Zackary, 6, Wyatt, 5, Nicholas, 2, and 2-month-old Juliana.

The family was on the highway when a terrible accident suddenly destroyed all their plans. A van hit the family car, claiming the lives of the children’s parents, and Juliana, the youngest of the family.

The four siblings who survived this tragic event were transferred to the Cook Children's Medical Center in bad conditions right after the crash. The enormous expense that these injuries involved could not be assumed by anyone at that time.

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THEY WEREN’T LEFT COMPLETELY ALONE

The children’s aunt, Teresa Burrell, knew that she had to do something to cover the hospital expenses. So she had the idea of creating a donation account on Facebook to help her niece and nephews.

The response from the people was as fast as overwhelming, 52-year-old Burrell shared.

“I don’t want to say numbers, it was such a traumatic time that it’s a blur. But I think my initial asking was like $40,000, and within 24 hours we had met that goal. And within 48 hours, that goal had doubled. People were so generous.”

-Teresa Burrell, People, November 26, 2018.

They managed to raise almost $160.000 for the children medical expenses. It was enough for pay for the hospital, but the siblings have yet to overcome their serious injuries.

Angela was in a coma, Wyatt was paralyzed on the left side of his body, Zachary was left with difficulties for eating, and Nicholas had bruises all over his body.

A MIRACULOUS RECOVERY

After a few days, Angie woke up from her coma and was visited in her room by her brother Wyatt, who greeted her by shaking her hand and then whispering: "Angie, now I go back to my room."

Following this, Angie turned to her brother and he replied, "Wyatt, I need you.” “That active, sweet boy sat and held his sister's hand for another 25 minutes. Wyatt doesn’t sit anywhere for 25 minutes. It was a sweet testament of the love these siblings have for one another,” Burrell told People.

“We’re not sure what lies ahead with Angela, with brain damage, but she’s gone to school. All three of them went to school in September,” she also said.

Today the children live with their grandmother while they recover from their physical and psychological wounds.

JACKIE BROWN LOST HER FOUR CHILDREN

While these four children were left with a deep emotional wound over the loss of both their parents and their baby sister, apart from the physical ordeal they were subjected to, sometimes it is the parents who survive with a shattered heart.

A 29-year-old woman from South Carolina had to experience the devastating pain of losing her four children in an apparent case of someone driving under the influence.

A few weeks before Christmas, Jackie Brown was excited to share another holiday season with her children Jamire, 8, Robbiana, 6, Arnez, 4, and Armani, 2. But she had to plan a funeral for them instead.

According to South Carolina Highway Patrol, the driver who fatally hit Brown’s children has been charged with felony driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license and child endangerment.

Some of his previous charges also include a hit-and-run with property damage and a felony for domestic violence.