Donors rally to support family of five children killed in rural Ontario crash
Written by The Canadian Press on June 16, 2026
An online fundraiser for the family of five children killed in a rural Ontario crash has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for funeral expenses and other costs.
GoFundMe and a family member confirm that the fundraiser was created by a sister of the children who died in the collision north of Kitchener, Ont.
Six other people were rushed to hospital after an SUV carrying one person and a van carrying 10 people collided in Mapleton Township on Friday.
The children who died were from the community of Elmira and ranged in age from four to 12.
Their older sister says she is grieving and heartbroken, with her parents still seriously injured in hospital.
“My family is living through a tragedy that no one should ever have to face,” Nancy Doerksen wrote on the GoFundMe page.
“In a devastating accident, we lost five precious children who were deeply loved by all of us. The heartbreak and grief are beyond words, and our family is trying to navigate an unimaginable reality while supporting one another through this painful time.”
Doerksen also wrote in an update that her youngest sibling, who was injured in the crash, was released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
More than $265,000 has been raised for the family as of Tuesday afternoon.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2026.
The Canadian Press