Faithwire
  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • News
  • Politics
  • Coronavirus Updates
  • Faith
  • Opinion
  • Christmas
  • Set Free Course

Elderly Couple’s Powerful Message About God After Daughter, Son-in-Law and Granddaughter Die in Horrific Crash

Share Tweet
By Billy Hallowell
Editor

February 22, 2017

An elderly Illinois couple are turning to their Christian faith as they cope with a horrific tragedy last week that took the lives of their daughter, granddaughter and son-in-law.

Erwin and Ursel Schmidt, aged 77 and 73, respectively, recently told the Daily Herald about the importance of their Christian faith as they grieve the heartbreaking losses, and work to comfort their surviving grandchildren, 15-year-old Hailee and 10-year-old Christian.

“They say faith is everything.” Ursel Schmidt told the outlet. “That’s all we’ve got.”

And faith is exactly what they’re relying on as they process the deaths of Anita Crawford, 50, Kevin Crawford, 52, and Kirsten, 20 — a collective devastating loss that unfolded due to a fatal car accident last week.

The three were killed when the driver of another vehicle slammed into their car; that driver, who also died in the accident, was possibly going over 100 miles per hour at the time of collision, The Chicago Tribune reported.

The Crawford family was on its way to a soccer match when the accident unfolded — and one police officer called it the worst he’d seen in his 40-year career, with Des Plaines police Chief William Kushner describing it as “horrific” and saying that the Crawford’s vehicle was so profoundly damaged that “it looked like a ball of aluminum foil.”

“Cars are safer now than they’ve ever been – seat belts, air bags – and it didn’t save anybody,” he said.

On Sunday, grieving grandparents Erwin and Ursel flocked to St. John Lutheran Church in Mount Prospect, Illinois, where they have celebrated many life milestones. From marriages to baptisms, the Schmidt family has a deep history at St. John Lutheran. And, in turn, the church hosted funeral services for the three deceased on Tuesday.

Erwin made the importance of faith more than clear as he spoke with the Daily Herald, telling the outlet that people tend to recognize the importance of the Almighty as they get older and mature.

“Young people, they don’t look for God when they’re younger,” he said. “When they get older, then they realize more that you need somebody to turn to.”

Pastor Jeff Gavin also spoke with the outlet, proclaiming that the church is there to help the family process what has unfolded; he expressed particular concern for the children left behind, but affirmed his belief that ultimate comfort can be found in God alone.

“We’re here to minister and we’re here to bring to them the comfort and the presence and the word of their Lord, who is the only source of comfort and relief and peace,” he said.

A GoFundMe campaign aimed at raising $10,000 to help the remaining children — who are currently in the care of Erwin and Ursel — has raised nearly 10 times the goal, with more than $98,000 coming in at the time of this article’s publication.

(H/T: Daily Herald)

—

Other Must-Read Stories:

– New Bible-Themed TV Show Will Retell Gospel Stories in the Modern-Era — and Queen Latifah Is Behind It

– Donald and Ivanka Trump React to Evil, Anti-Jewish Attacks : ‘America Is Built on the Principle of Religious Tolerance’

– Are Muslims Who Commit Violence in the Name of Islam Truly Islamic? Americans Respond

– Mission Haiti: Could You Do Church ALL Weekend? These People Do, With JOY

– Venezuelans Forced to Eat Flamingos to Survive Socialist ‘Maduro Diet’

Latest

  • News

    Ex-Navy SEAL’s One-Word Response When Asked the Best Way to Prevent Horrific Mass Shootings

  • News

    Why the Toxic, Diabolical Responses to ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ After Mass Shootings Fuel More Evil

  • Faith

    ‘Harbingers of Things to Come’: Jonathan Cahn Film Explores Ancient Mysteries, Prophetic Warnings for US

  • News

    Lee Greenwood Joins Celebs, Politicians in Backing Out of NRA Convention, Citing Texas Horror: ‘I Cannot Be Canceled’

  • Media

    Viral Libs of TikTok Account Suspended From Instagram


Navigation

  • Watch
  • Go!
  • Podcasts
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Subscribe to the Newsletter

Sign up to get our newsletter your inbox every day.

Newsletter Signup

Do you want to read
more articles like this?