SPOKANE, Wash. – A life was cut short after a tragic crash on Highway 395 claimed the life of 6-month-old Emma Hays. Her family, stricken with grief, remembers her life and looks for support.
Emma Hays, her twin brother Paul, her brother Conner, and her parents Jacob and Alix were traveling to the lake on a family outing
The car, still traveling at a high rate of speed, swerved and hit the family’s car, crushing and killing Emma.
Emma’s parents shared about her life and the six short months they spent with her.
“She would’ve done amazing things. She was very smart. Just the way she’d look at you,” Jacob Hays said.
“I can’t show her the world anymore, so I want to show her to the world. I want everyone to know how loved she was,” Alix Hays said.
Medics, law enforcement, and even bystanders stepped in to help the family after the crash. Emma was life-flighted to the hospital, where she was later pronounced brain-dead.
Emma’s parents recounted the last few moments of her life and the connection she had to her family.
“You know, when you only have six months with someone, those five seconds don’t seem like a lot, but they are,” Alix said.
The Hays family and children were buckled and in their car seats when they were hit. The Hays brothers survived the crash, but losing their sister and twin feels irreplaceable.
“When they took her off of life support, he cried,” Alix said about twin brother Paul. “He wasn’t anywhere near her. He was a half-hour across town, and my mom said it was the only time she’s ever heard him cry like that.”
The woman who hit the family is in the hospital with injuries, and the Washington State Patrol said the crash was caused by “following too close.”
The family has an online fundraiser and meal train to help cover funeral expenses and support them during this difficult time.
