The mother died while giving birth and the father died in a car accident, leaving five kids without a family.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on January 5, 2022. It has since been updated.
Bazirake Kariya was devastated when he lost his wife, Zabayo Bigirimana, four months ago while she gave birth to their youngest of five children. He was left to take care of their newborn girl, along with their four boys, aged 2, 6, 8, and 10. But, tragedy struck the family after Kariya died on New Year's Eve.
His car was found in a creek amid a winter storm in the area. He had been traveling to his job at a pork processing plant, his family's pastor, Eugene Kiruhura, told Des Moines Register.
Though rescuers were able to pull him from his submerged car, Kariya shortly succumbed to his injuries, WHO-13 reported.
"They've been crying all the time, saying 'We lost mother. We lost father.'" Kiruhura, of Shalom Covenant Church in Urbandale, said. "It's very, very hard to the kids." They are now being taken care of by their grandparents, who don't speak English. They don't even have the financial means to raise them.
Father Killed in Crash Months After Wife's Death, Leaving Behind Their 5 Children: 'Please Help' https://t.co/5KAJ4PsWR8
— People (@people) January 4, 2022
Kariya and Bigirimana moved to the U.S. from the Democratic Republic of the Congo three years ago. In a bid to help the cash-strapped family out, Kiruhura, who has known the family for about a year, recently started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds.
"We are raising funds to help assist with his funeral expenses and any extra funds will go into an account reserved for the children," Kiruhura wrote on the page. "Keep these children in your prayers this is very sudden and extremely shocking for them to lose both parents like this in a short period of time."
"I'm believing in God, that's why I'm asking people, please, please help these kids," Kiruhura pleaded. "Raise these kids, these kids, I know tomorrow they will be somebody," he continued. "They will be helping others if they can get help from the community."
The pastor's plea worked and scores of people donated money to help the family out. Kiruhura, in an update on GoFundMe, shared that he is full of gratitude for everybody who has helped the family out so far.
"Thank you all so much for the overwhelming support given in such a short period of time," he wrote, while also including a picture of the children. "God Bless you!!"
Here's hoping God gives them the strength and courage to move on in life from this pain and misery; it definitely wouldn't be easy.
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Cover Image Source: GoFundMe
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