An Ohio photographer is thinking about one of her most recent sessions after the family she photographed died in a car accident less than 12 hours after their first shoot.
“I didn’t know them very well, but I’m heartbroken by this news. I can’t even imagine how their family and friends must feel.”
The owner of Rhae Rose Photography in Delta, Ohio, Rhae Harris, who is 45 years old, wrote on her Facebook page that she had been talking to Muriel Michael, who is 28, for a while about taking pictures of the family of five. Saturday, March 26, was the day they finally met.
“The kids were so well-behaved and cute, and Riggs, the one-year-old, was the best baby I’ve ever had! He was so happy that he smiled when he was supposed to and even said “CHEESE!” a few times.
Muriel and her fiance, Xavier Brown, 25, took Easter-themed pictures with their one-year-old son Riggs Brown and Muriel’s children, Aurora Michael, 7, and Deklin Jankowski, 9.
Rhea said you could tell how much the family loved each other by looking at their photos.
Muriel wanted Rhae to take her engagement and wedding photos, so she was excited to work with her in the future.
Sadly, Rhae never got to work with the family again because the five of them were killed in a car accident soon after their shoot.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Zane Hull, who was 21, failed to yield as he drove east on County Road H and hit Muriel’s car, which was going south on County Road 14 in Clinton Township.
At the scene, both Xavier and Deklin died. Aurora and Riggs were taken to the Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center by helicopter, but they did not make it. Muriel was also sent to the hospital by helicopter. Monday night, she died.
The driver of the other car was hurt, but not too badly.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help pay for the funerals of the five people in the family. More than $40,000 has been raised in just one day.
This shows how important and valuable life is. Never think that anything is a given.
Please share this and say a prayer for the people in this family.
Photographer captures family’s final moments hours before fatal crash that killed all five members