In the blink of an eye, a terrible car crash can happen that changes the trajectory of an entire family. It's unsettling to think about, for sure. But it's even more heartbreaking when car crashes involve children and/or expecting moms.
Pregnant Georgia woman Kristen Brooke Clark was recently involved in a fatal crash. Tragically, both she and her unborn baby were killed in the collision. What makes this story even more painful is that her baby shower was set to happen just hours after the crash happened.
More from CafeMom: Pregnant Bride Dies From a Stroke on the Way to Wedding — But Her Unborn Baby Is Saved
Kristen Brooke Clark died in Panama City, Florida.
On March 23, Kristen, 33, of Bainbridge, Georgia, died, WALB News 10 reported in a car wreck. She was seven months pregnant at the time. Sadly, her unborn child, Asher Blaze, was also killed in the crash, which took place about 100 miles away from her hometown, in Panama City, Florida.
What happened?
Kristen reportedly failed to yield and crashed into the back of a prisoner transport van, police told WALB News 10. Although first responders attempted life-saving measures, she died from her injuries. Seven others, including three prisoners, were transported to a hospital.
Her baby shower was set for the next day.
Chick-fil-A Marketing Director Krystal Apke told WALB News 10 that co-workers had a baby shower planned for Kristen on March 24. “Not only are we sad that we’ve lost a friend and a co-worker, but we’ve also lost family," Krystal told the outlet. "And not [being] able to meet that new life is definitely heartbreaking."
Chick-fil-A posted a heartfelt tribute for the mom and her baby.
Kristen was a co-general manager at a Chick-fil-A located on Tallahassee Highway in Bainbridge. Following her death, the store posted a tribute on its Facebook account.
"To us she was a remarkable leader, a loyal and fierce friend. She was a mother figure to many and a sister to us all. She made sure that her team was taken care of. She gave of her time, love, talent, and resources to make sure her team felt loved and supported," the message read in part. "This loss is one we will be feeling for a while as she has been a part of our team from Day 1. It was truly our pleasure to love you back. ❤️"
The community reacted to the tragedy in the comments.
In the comments of the Chick-fil-A Facebook post, members of Kristen's community reacted to the news of her death.
One person wrote: "I’m going to miss Kristen so much!! She was such a joy to see almost every day and she always knew my order like no other praying for her family and her CFA family."
Another Facebook user commented, "Kristen’s family as well as her Chick-fil-A family are in our thoughts and prayers. ."
Meanwhile, someone else wrote: "Kristen will always be one of my greatest inspirations and friends. I’ll always be thankful for everything she’s done for me and for what she taught me in the short time I had the pleasure of working with her. "
