Parents Killed in Crosswalk Leads Gilroy Community To Rally Around Twins

GILROY, CA — A Gilroy community is rallying around the twin children of the parents who were killed on Jan. 16 after being struck by a car in a crosswalk near an elementary school.

Andrew and Stacia Stuart were walking back to their car after dropping off their daughter at Las Animas Elementary School when the collision occurred at the intersection of Charles Lux Drive and Lopez Way, police said.

While police initially reported that a man died at the scene and a woman was seriously injured, it has since been confirmed that both Andrew and Stacia succumbed to their injuries.

The Gilroy Police Department stated that the driver involved is cooperating with investigators and that speed or impairment are not currently believed to be factors in the incident.

The Stuarts leave behind their 7-year-old twins, who are now surrounded by loving family, a fundraiser stated. In the wake of this "insurmountable loss," the family has started a GoFundMe to assist the twins with their future.

"For anyone who knew Andrew and Stacia, you know they were always the brightest faces in the room, always smiling," the family wrote on the fundraising page. "They were amazing parents, family members, and friends, and we are all trying to figure out how to navigate a world without them."

Acknowledging the community's desire to help with the "tragedy of this magnitude," the page states that the funds raised will go toward helping the twins recover and ensuring they "have the best future possible."

Kelly Younger, the twins' aunt, is listed as the beneficiary of the fund. The family also shared a plea for increased caution when driving in school zones.

"We wish this wasn't real, we wish these children did not have to know a life without their parents, and we hope that people take this story and learn to be extra cautious when driving in school zones," they wrote on the GoFundMe.