A fundraising campaign has been launched for Jonathan and Chelsea Ross of Danville after their two daughters died in a head-on collision in Woodbury on June 13.
The crash occurred around 9:30 a.m. on Route 14 near Hattie Bell Road. Vermont State Police said Jonathan Ross, 38, crossed the center line on a curve and struck a pickup truck driven by Harry Dailey, 60, of Woodbury. Ross's daughters, 8-year-old Oliviah and 2-year-old Rylin, were in the back seat and were pronounced dead at the scene. Ross was seriously injured and taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Dailey suffered minor injuries; his passenger, Thomas Dailey, 29, also of Woodbury, was seriously injured.
The SupportNow fundraiser, created June 16 by Kali Ross, has a goal of $30,000. As of the first day online, more than 100 donations had raised over $12,000. On the page, the family wrote that "no words can adequately express the heartbreak and grief they are facing." They asked for support "whether through prayers, meals, financial assistance, or simply sharing this message" and asked supporters to keep them in their thoughts.
In Danville, residents tied green ribbons, a school color, along Route 2 in remembrance, an effort started by Marge Ste. Marie. School police remembered Oliviah as a bright, curious student proud to be a big sister.
Those wishing to help can donate through the SupportNow page or offer meals, errands, or child care via its volunteer feature. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Trooper Alexis Marciniak at the Vermont State Police Berlin Barracks at 802-229-9191.
Originally reported by North Star Monthly.
Photo: Aleksandr Neplokhov via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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