WATERLOO, Iowa — A tragic crash in Kenya has claimed the lives of two Waterloo children and left a third in critical condition. The accident has prompted a wave of support from the local community.
The crash occurred on a Sunday on a highway near Nairobi. Family friend Lyndie Maina said the driver may have fallen asleep and, upon waking, attempted to avoid a head-on collision, resulting in another car hitting the side of their vehicle.
Emmanuel DeLeon, an eighth grader at Hoover Middle School, and his younger brother, Kairu Winkelpleck, a preschooler, both died on impact. Their sister, Njeri DeLeon, a junior at West High School, is currently in a medically induced coma in the ICU.
The children’s mother, Leah, originally from Kenya, and her husband, Christopher, were not seriously injured in the crash.
Maina expressed gratitude for the community’s response. “It’s overwhelming to see how people can come together for a person they may not even know,” Maina said.
A GoFundMe campaign set up by a family friend has raised more than $33,000. The funds will assist with medical expenses, funeral costs, travel, and support for the parents to stay with their daughter during her recovery. The goal is to raise $50,000.
For those wishing to contribute, the GoFundMe link is available HERE.