2-year-old sole survivor of Wisconsin crash that killed 9, relatives say
Semi, van collided Friday morning, officials said
CLARK COUNTY, Wis. -- A 2-year-old boy was the sole survivor of a rural Wisconsin crash that killed nine last week.
Family from Virginia rushed to Wisconsin over the weekend to be with the child after the Friday morning crash in Clark County, WCCO reported.
"We're actually on our way to Wisconsin to pick up their 2-year-old grandson, who was (the) only survivor and surprisingly not harmed, no burns. He's missing his mom. You can imagine just how hard that's gonna be," Allen Gross said.
The crash shut down a section of Highway 95 in Wisconsin.
It happened at Highway 95 and Highway J in the Township of Dewhurst, the Clark County Sheriff's Office said. That's near Black River Falls Rustic landing and Levis Mound Trail Center.
Preliminary information indicates that a semi was traveling east on Highway 95, approaching the Highway J intersection, the sheriff's office said. At the same time, a van was heading north on Highway J. The vehicles then collided in the intersection.
Nine people were inside of the van, and eight of them were killed in the crash. The driver of the tanker truck was also killed in the crash, the county coroner said.
Some of the victims have been identified.
Gross said those killed in the van included Orlah Schrock, 23; his wife, Ellen, and their 6-month-old daughter, Judy Rose.
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Schrock's sister, 21-year-old Delilah Schrock, also died.
The ex-wife of the person driving the van said the man often offered trips for Amish people.
"Your heart sinks. You just don't know how to act, don't know how to take it, or if any suffered before they died," Lavada Stout said.
An ex-Marine helped rescue the child from the crash.
"Friday morning just another day going to work," Nathaniel Yan said. "I couldn't fathom, van still coming out knowing semi was right there, and by the time everything happened, the semi smashed into the vehicle."
He said it was a blur.
"I immediately grabbed my phone, called 911. I ran to the two victims, said 'do you need help? I'm here to help.' And I didn't hear anything," Yan said. "I heard a whimpering sound coming next to her under debris. It turned into a cry."
Family said those in the van were part of the Amish community In Burkes Garden, Virginia.
"Each special in their own way, and they were just days of sunshine, some of the kindest people you could meet," Jodi Wright said.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
ABC7 Chicago contributed to this report.
