Tragic crash leads to helping hand group

CINDY WOOD/independent feature writer

Nicole Davis-Glass knows all about second chances, and she’s intent on using hers to help others by paying it forward.

Nine years ago last month, Davis-Glass was aboard a helicopter en route to a Fort Wayne, Ind., hospital after a horrific crash on U.S. 127. Traveling to Van Wert from the village of Scott, Davis-Glass slid through a stop sign on ice-covered roads and her vehicle, carrying Davis-Glass and her three small children, was struck by a semi.

Her daughter Maggie, 3, was killed instantly, and her 5-year-old son Matthew, died five days later from injuries sustained in the crash. Davis-Glass and her daughter, Macey, 1, survived the accident, but with numerous injuries. Macey had a broken leg and head trauma and Davis-Glass sustained three broken ribs, a punctured lung, a fractured nose and back and facial lacerations.

It was during this traumatic time in her life that Davis-Glass came to know and understand the meaning of the word “community”.

“I honestly couldn’t believe the amount of support our family received,” she said, adding that the village of Roselm in northeastern Van Wert County, as well as other communities, raised approximately $15,000 to pay the funeral expenses of her children.

Money was also raised to help the family pay its bills while the family coped with their tragic losses.

“These people didn’t even know us, and they did all of that for us,” she said. “Ever since then, I’ve been trying to find ways to pay these communities back.”

She found it in Pay It Forward, a group she began on Facebook that allows users to post a specific need with hopes the need will be filled.

“I really didn’t think it would go over at first,” she said. Davis-Glass started the group in October, albeit with low expectations, and invited her friends to join the group. Those friends invited their friends to join, and, two months later, the group is now over 1,000 members strong.

Davis-Glass took her commitment to “paying it forward” one step further and started “Deer Kids,” an initiative that allows parents to receive a little holiday help in providing a nice Christmas for their children. With names of children needing assistance coming in every day, Davis-Glass organized fundraisers and raffles to raise enough funds to help as many children as possible.

“The need was just huge,” Davis-Glass said. “There are so many people who are just struggling right now, and I know exactly how they feel. We just thought we might be able to help people. It’s truly amazing what people can do when they work together.”

This past Wednesday evening, Davis-Glass brought all the kids together for a Christmas party at Van Wert Victory Church, where they were treated to hot dogs and snacks, holiday games and a visit with Santa. While children enjoyed a cakewalk and cookie decorating, Davis-Glass distributed toy and food packages to a total of 22 families and 43 children.

“I really thought it would be something little here and there, but it has just exploded, and it is so amazing to be a part of it,” she noted. “If you had a need, we tried to fill it, and if you needed help, you got help in one way or another. We had asked for gently used toys and items, but many people went out and bought new items, so we (had) a lot of nice gifts for the kids.”

Although the holiday initiative is now winding down, Davis-Glass has no intentions of sitting back and relaxing. She plans to keep the group going — and growing — and she’s already in the process of filing paperwork to become a non-profit organization.

It’s a dream come true for a woman who, despite her tremendous losses, feels grateful for what she does have.

“I honestly wish everybody could feel what I’m feeling right now,” Davis-Glass said. “I don’t know how to explain it. It just warms my heart and makes me feel like I’m doing something good. It’s all about the kids right now.”

The kids in the program couldn’t agree more.

“We get to decorate cookies! Yay!” shouted one enthusiastic partygoer.

“I can’t wait for Christmas, because we’re going to have lots of presents now,” another shouted.

“That truly is the best part about this,” Davis-Glass said. “It’s amazing knowing that these kids are going to have a good Christmas because of our community. What more can you ask for?”