More Than $80K Raised For Surviving Kids Of Arlington Heights Family Killed In Crash

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — A fundraising campaign has been created to help the two surviving children of an Arlington Heights family who was tragically killed Thursday when a driver traveling around 100 mph slammed into their car on a Des Plaines highway.

Kevin Crawford, 52, Anita Crawford, 50, and their 20-year-old daughter, Kirsten Crawford died Thursday after the Mercedes-Benz driven by Piotr Rog, 21, of Des Plaines, collided with the Crawfords' Chevrolet Impala as it was turning into a YMCA parking lot on Northwest Highway. Rog, who had a history of traffic violations and license suspensions, also was killed in the crash.

Kevin and Anita Crawford were the parents of three children. While their eldest daughter perished with them in the crash, the couple's other two children — 15-year-old daughter Hailee and 9-year-old Christian — were not involved in the accident. The kids are currently in the care of their grandparents.

A GoFundMe campaign was created Friday to help Hailee, Prospect High School sophomore, and Christian, a Windsor Elementary fourth-grader. The fundraiser page was set up by parents from the schools the two children attend, and the money it earns will go toward the kids' future education, according to the Daily Herald.

RELATED: Des Plaines Crash Kills Driver, 3 Arlington Heights Family Members

"Considering the circumstances, the need to reach out is urgent," the GoFundMe page states. "This website has been established in hopes to help the 2 remaining Crawford children & their family manage this extraordinarily difficult time."

The website was set up with a goal of $10,000, but by Monday night, it had already raised more than $80,000 for the surviving children.

Funeral services for the Crawfords will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, at St. John Lutheran Church, 1100 Linneman Road, Mount Prospect. Visitation will be held before services at 10 a.m. at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Road, and interment will be at St. John Lutheran Cemetery.

Des Plaines police continue to investigate the crash, and Chief Bill Kushner told the Herald he expects the investigation to last a few weeks. A crash reconstructionist was expected to be at the accident scene Monday, and investigators will be trying to recover data recorders from the vehicles, according to the report.

Go to the website for Friedrichs Funeral Home for obituaries on the Crawfords and information about their funeral.

More via the Daily Herald

The Crawford family (from left) Hailee, Anita, Kirsten, Christian and Kevin. (screen shot via GoFundMe)

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