GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A grandmother is grieving after she lost five family members, instantaneously, in a crash on Interstate 485.
April Willis’s family was travelling on the I-485 outer loop, headed to Carowinds, when another car crashed into them. Six people died, and one other was injured.
Her daughter, 23-year-old Taylor Willis, was killed in the crash alongside Taylor Willis’s partner, 27-year-old Samuel Jacob Holmes, their children, 1-year-old Brynlon Holmes and 3-year-old Addyson Holmes, and a relative, 8-year-old Kamron Wood.
Another driver, 16-year-old Logan Paul Sauer, was also killed in the crash.
April Willis’s other daughter, 16-year-old Katelynn, was injured in the crash and is in the hospital with a broken pelvic bone, the family said.
“Emotionally, I’m trying my best,” April Willis said.
Officials said a Honda CRV, driven by Sauer, collided with the Chrysler van, driven by Samuel Jacob Holmes and occupied by the five other family members, resulting in a collision. The cars then collided with a parked tractor-trailer.
April Willis said the family would get together every weekend to do something fun. This weekend, they were headed to Carowinds.
She lost five family members in the crash. She spoke to Channel 9’s Ken Lemon by phone while she was at the hospital with her daughter Katelynn, the lone survivor.
“I thank God every day that she is here,” April Willis said. “She could have died with the other ones.”
Edwin Harmon is a part of the family as well. The whole family lived in Gaston County. He used to see the children playing in the yard across the street. And it is hard for him to imagine he won’t see them again.
“That’s horrible, just to think about,” he said.
He is hopeful for Katelynn and said he has sympathy for all the people involved.
“I don’t know of any way to help except to give them my sorrow,” he said. “I plead with anybody that knows about this to pray for them.”
April Willis said that her family is praying for Sauer’s family as well as they suffer his loss.
Anyone who wishes to assist with the family’s funeral funds or medical bills can donate to their GoFundMe here.
WATCH: 6 killed, 1 injured in crash that closed section of I-485, officials say
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