A family in Williamston, Michigan, is grappling with profound grief after their two children, Karalee, 13, and Calvin Shepard, 12, died within five days of each other following a bicycle crash.
The siblings were riding their bikes along the shoulder of a road near their home on September 5 when they were struck by an SUV. Calvin was pronounced dead at the scene, while Karalee sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital.
On Thursday, their mother, Raquel Roark Shepard, announced Karalee's death, stating she succumbed to complications from the accident that claimed her brother. "She was surrounded by her family and deeply loved until her final breath," the mother wrote in a Facebook post. "Our hearts are broken beyond what we can put into words. We find comfort in knowing that Karalee and Calvin are together again and in the loving arms of our Savior."
Both Karalee and Calvin were wearing helmets at the time of the incident. The driver of the Ford Explorer, a 64-year-old woman, remained at the scene until law enforcement arrived. Authorities do not suspect alcohol or drugs were factors in the collision. No arrests or charges have been filed as of Friday.
The family plans to hold a joint funeral for Karalee and Calvin on Tuesday. "We simply cannot bear the thought of saying goodbye to our children twice," Raquel Shepard stated when announcing the decision to move Calvin's funeral to the same day as his sister's.
Calvin, who had recently started middle school, is remembered by his mother for his approach of taking life "head-on." She noted his excitement about attending middle school with his sister and looked forward to Karalee showing him the way.
A GoFundMe campaign initiated by a family friend has raised over $137,000 to support the Shepard family during this difficult time.