WEBBERVILLE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Saturday evening, Kim VanHorn, her husband Sam and their 18-year-old son Alex were at Ford Field in Detroit.
The three were volunteering at Alex VanHorn's brother's band competition.
On the way home afterward, their lives would change forever.
"We remember fire and we remember screaming for each other," Kim VanHorn said.
Around 11:42 that night, Michigan State Police say a semi-truck with a trailer came up on stopped traffic along I-96 in Webberville. Police say the semi didn't see the backup, didn't stop in time and created a fiery 15-vehicle crash.
Kim, Sam and Alex VanHorn were in one of the cars. None of them remember the initial impact.
"The next thing I know, I woke up and I had my head to the left, and I remember feeling like a big rush over my head," Kim VanHorn said. "I looked up and saw a lot of fire and I remember screaming ‘help,’ and I couldn’t find my husband and I could hear my son screaming that he couldn’t get out."
Four people were killed and 17 were injured.
"My husband was in the ditch and he doesn’t remember how he got there. A police officer brought him to me, and I remember hugging him and I remember hugging my son and my son had blood all over his face. The man that rescued me was hugging us and telling us everything was gonna be OK and telling us we were loved," Kim VanHorn said.
As of Monday evening, the driver of the semi and Sam VanHorn remain in the hospital.
Kim VanHorn said that Sam is suffering from a traumatic brain injury and "he has a possible broken neck, multiple broken ribs, a lung contusion, possible spine injury."
Kim VanHorn's sister has started this GoFundMe for the family.
She says the family wasn't sure how they would make ends meet while they recovered, but they are already astounded with the communities generosity.
"The band community, the state of Michigan," Kim VanHorn. "I can’t even describe the overwhelming support we have from all of them. It’s just, it’s been amazing."
