PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla — The bodies of two young children are more than 700 miles away from home.
"She sent her babies on vacation with her family," said Kiara Beckett, the aunt of Ya’sire Smith, 5, and Zi’aire Mack, 3. "Who would've thought they would never return?"
Smith and Mack, who lived in Virginia, were two of the nine people killed in a horrific crash in western Palm Beach County on Monday.
"Right now, we need help to get her babies home from Florida back to Virginia to have a proper burial," Beckett said. "All I can ask for is them to pray for my sister's well-being while she goes through this troubling time."
Beckett said Smith and Mack were her sister’s only children.
"They were good kids. Great kids. They kept my sister going. They were her whole being right there. She lived for her kids. They loved their mom."
"If you know my sister, she’s very goofy, funny, outgoing. They literally her in little people bodies," Beckett said. "So to see her in this state now? It’s very difficult."
Beckett said their funeral home in Virginia is on its to way to Florida to pick up the boys. But the expenses — between the transportation and burial — are piling up.
"She’s dealing with it one day at a time right now. As we all are," Beckett said.
Beckett said the family is turning to prayer and the generosity of the community to help get the children home to Virginia and have them buried.
"I've been comforting her by doing all the footwork for her so she's able to breathe. I've been handling everything as a big sister. She's enduring a lot right now."
"What’s getting you through this?" WPTV journalist Joel Lopez asked Beckett.
"God," Beckett answered. "Seeing my little sister’s strength is getting me through this. As long as I know God has her, I know he has me as well."
Region C Palm Beach County
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Beckett said her nephews are connected to the crash victims through their father’s side. She has set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for funeral expenses. To donate, click here.
