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Beecher Community Mourns, Prays at Vigil After Fatal Accident

The small community of Beecher has been weighed down with grief for two days.

Residents wanted to lift up the Schmidt family with a vigil Wednesday tonight and pray for the one little boy who remains in the hospital.

Acquaintances and even strangers came to Firemen's Park to pay their respects and pray.

"If you look in the dictionary under perfect family, Lindsey and Eddie would be the first thing you saw," said Dean Bettenhausen, a family friend.

29-year-old Lindsey Schmidt was driving her three sons to bible camp Monday when police say a pickup truck blew through a stop sign at Corning and Yates and slammed into her Subaru.

Schmidt, who was four months pregnant, and her youngest son Caleb were killed instantly.

The next day four-year-old Weston died.

The community comes together now to pray for six-year-old Owen--who is in a medically induced coma.

"He's not out of the woods at all, he's got a lot of internal injuries," Bettenhausen said.

The community is collecting donations for the Schmidt family as a memorial grows at the accident scene.

Some say they look at this tragedy as a reminder of how precious life is.

"Hug your kids, hug your wife, always say goodbye," Bettenhausen said. "In the morning always give her a kiss because it may be the last."

The other driver is still hospitalized and hasn't been charged as the investigation continues.

“The Will County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our heartfelt sympathy and continued prayers to the family,” according to the statement.

A donation fund has been set up at First Community Bank and Trust. Checks should be made payable to The Schmidt Family Fund and delivered to either the bank's Beecher or Peotone locations. Checks can also be mailed to PO Box 457, Beecher, IL 60401.

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