A pastor from Florida is grieving the loss of his two daughters and three grandchildren who perished in a car crash on Thursday night.
Anthony Oliver, a pastor at Taft Missionary Baptist Church in Orlando, Florida has suffered an immeasurable loss. His two daughters and three grandchildren were the victims of a tragic car crash that occurred on Thursday night in Orange County, Florida.
According to FOX 35 Orlando, the crash that resulted in fatalities of five individuals occurred at about 8 p.m. at night at the intersection of Clarcona Ocoee Road and Gaymar Drive in Orlando.
The victims of the tragic car crash were Pastor Oliver's two daughters, aged 30 and 25, and his grandchildren, two girls aged 4 and 5, and a 5 month-old boy.
"Last night was the last time my grandbabies talked to me and told me, 'Pop Pop, I love you.' I won't hear that no more," Pastor Oliver told Click Orlando. "Any parent would rather their kids bury them than them burying their kids and now I've got to bury five. Love on them while they're here, because when they're gone that's it."
Pastor Anthony Oliver with family.
Posted by Taft Missionary Baptist Church on Friday, March 12, 2021
Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) spokesperson Lt. Kim Montes said, "This is one of the most horrific scenes we have had in quite some time." She went on to explain that the tragic car crash involved Pastor Oliver's wife, Shawn Jones Oliver, who was driving the Hyundai that carried their daughters and grandchildren.
The Hyundai was driving westbound on Clarcona Ocoee Road and intended to make a left turn into Gaymar Drive, but was hit by an eastbound Suburban SUV. According to the FHP, the SUV impacted the side of the Hyundai, causing both vehicles to overturn and the Hyundai's to be ripped in half, ejecting five of the six individuals it carried. All five were pronounced dead at the scene.
The Suburban SUV's driver, a 28 year-old Apopka man, survived the tragic car crash with minor injuries. Pastor Oliver's wife, the driver of the Hyundai, also survived but remains unaware that her children and grandchildren have perished in the accident.
Pastor Oliver expressed his grief at not being able to do anything to keep his family safe.
"Just imagining that final impact and what my kids were going through and what my grandchildren were saying and I couldn't be there to protect them," Pastor Oliver said.
Taft Missionary Baptist Church community took to Facebook to extend its condolences and pray for Pastor Oliver's family. The announcement wrote, "Our family has suffered a great loss as Pastor's 2 Daughters and 3 grandchildren were taken from this earth in a tragic car accident Thursday evening. Although we grieve we also love. In Jesus' name!"
Those who want to support Pastor Anthony Oliver and his wife through this time of need are encouraged to donate to a GoFundMe campaign meant to raise funds to help them.
The FHP said it is committed to investigating the Clarcona Ocoee Road and Gaymar Drive intersection, which has seen two fatal accidents in the span of three months. In January, a 35 year-old woman perished in a tragic car accident when she tried to make the same left-hand turn from Clarcona Ocoee Road. Lt. Montes said that they will investigate the sight visuals of the drivers trying to maneuver this route to determine what is needed to prevent such tragic circumstances in the future.
