Three members of the Michigan family featured on TLC’s reality series Meet the Putmans were killed in a Friday night crash near Cass City, Michigan, after a semi-truck ran a stop sign and collided with their jeep at a rural intersection north of Detroit, authorities said.
Five other family members were transported to area hospitals by helicopter and EMS, with some in critical condition, the Tuscola County Sheriff’s Office said. The three people killed were Bill “Papa” Putman, Barb “Neenee” Putman, and Megan Putnam.
Megan Putnam’s husband Blake and their three children — Lulu, Alena and Noah — along with Megan’s niece Gia, remained hospitalized after the crash, according to authorities. The five survivors were airlifted or transported to hospitals for treatment.
In a family statement, relatives asked for prayers and described the losses, noting that Papa, Neenee and Megan had died and that the family remained grounded in their faith as they faced the tragedy.
The semi-truck driver and his female passenger were transported to area hospitals with minor injuries, authorities said.
The Putmans’ show first aired on TLC in 2017 for one season before the family rebooted the series on YouTube in 2021 as Growing Up Putman. The family’s Instagram bio indicates about ten adults and 20 kids living in a 35,000-square-foot house as of 2025.
As of 2025, the family has continued to publish content online about their multi-generational household, even as the TV venture did not continue on TLC after its initial run. The health status of Blake, Lulu, Alena, Noah and Gia was not updated beyond their hospitalization.
Officials said the crash remains under investigation and no immediate cause had been released. The Putman family has repeatedly expressed gratitude for prayers and support from followers as they process the loss of three relatives.
Support and condolences have poured in from fans and fellow viewers of the family’s online content, who have long followed the dynamic of a multi-generational household living under one roof.
