‘She loved God’: Family, friends remember 11-year-old lost in Madera Co. crash
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Family and friends of the 11-year-old girl killed in a crash on Highway 41 in Madera County are remembering her.
They describe 11-year-old Amelia Marsh as a child who was full of light and love.
“I mean from the minute she was born she has just been a light,” longtime family friend Kyra Zimmerman said.
11-year-old lost in Madera County crash named by elementary school
Now without Amelia, the world is a little darker.
“She loved God and Jesus so much and it poured out into everything she was,” Zimmerman added.
Amelia died on Saturday in a car crash on Highway 41 just south of Jewel Vista Drive. Her family was driving down to Fresno from the Coarsegold area in rural Madera County where they live.
The California Highway Patrol said the rainy and wet weather at the time likely contributed to the crash. Officers said the GMC Yukon they were in, lost control and hit a Chevy truck, and then that Chevy was hit by a Buick. Everyone else but Amelia survived.
However, Amelia’s mom Andrea is still recovering at Community Regional Medical Center and her two younger siblings were taken to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera County. This afternoon, one of her siblings was finally moved from the children’s hospital and was reunited with their mom at CRMC, but the whole family is still recovering while grieving Amelia’s loss.
One of their other friends, Dicie Wheaton said she was also driving on Highway 41 at the same time of the crash. She said she remembers seeing dozens of first responders driving past them, not knowing who they were heading to.
“I was actually a few minutes in front of them before the accident,” Wheaton said recalling what happened on Saturday evening. “I remember talking to my husband because I knew the wreck had happened and I didn’t know it was them at that time but that we were just feeling so heartbroken for the accident that happened and then later found out it was our friend.”
Spring Valley Elementary School confirmed in a statement that Amelia was their former student, and said she was “incredibly kind.” They also asked that the community keep her younger brother Jase, who is currently a student there, in their prayers as he recovers.
“She loved what she did, she loved being in theater, she was creative, and she would do what she could for other people,” Wheaton added.
Wheaton and Zimmerman said the crash and the related medical expenses will put a financial burden on the Marsh family, as Amelia’s dad will not be able to work while he cares for the rest of the family.
Anyone who would like to help donate and ease the burden of the expenses to help give Amelia a proper burial, can do so through the Marsh family’s GoFundMe.
