WALKER, Mich. — A West Michigan family is mourning the loss of a family member following a fatal crash Wednesday.
The crash happened around 2:45 p.m. on Wilson Avenue south of O’Brien Road.
The two people inside the car were sisters. The driver was Kimberly Baker, 56, and the passenger was Mary Beduhn, 61.
According Beduhn's son, Harry Demos, Baker crossed the center line of traffic when fighting Wednesday's windy conditions.
"The wind kind of took the vehicle over to the center lane," said Demos. "While over the opposite lane, my aunt over corrected and over corrected again and wound up into the trailer of the semi."
While Baker died following the crash, Beduhn was left with multiple serious injuries.
"Overall my mother is fine, like I said she's emotional. A lot of fractures, neck fractures, back fractures, pelvis, the knee, the foot," said Demos.
Demos says he's been by his mom’s side as much as possible since Wednesday as she works to recover from the crash both physically and emotionally.
"My aunt and mother were talking right after,” said Demos. “They were unsure really what they had struck. My mother really just held my aunt until medics got there. There was a faint pulse on my aunt. They tried to resuscitate her at the scene, but ultimately failed.
“My mother just pretty much held her until she passed. She lost her husband two and a half years ago and basically held him in the same way when he passed. So, I mean, it’s difficult for her right now."
Demos says the two were coming home from Battle Creek where they were passing out Thanksgiving care packages to those in need — something they tried to do for others every year during the holidays.
"They are just giving, caring people and just want to give back to the less fortunate. Which really, my mother and aunt came from that category as well. They are less fortunate," said Demos. "But they like to give back with what they can, so that’s really what they were doing."
Right now, their family doesn't know exactly what the next steps are. Their main priority is Beduhn’s recovery.
A family member has started a fundraiser to help support the family during this difficult time.
