WAUKENABO, Minnesota — A family of five is recovering after a mom and two daughters suffered serious injuries in a deadly car crash in Aitkin County on Oct. 4.
"I am not used to asking for help," Lisa Melberg said.
Melberg was driving her SUV packed with her three daughters, a niece and one of the daughter's boyfriends when another SUV ran a stop sign at Highway 169. The 61-year-old driver of the second SUV sustained life-threatening injuries, according to State Patrol. Elizabeth Jane Baldwin, 61, and Marlo Dean Baldwin, 92, both of Minnetonka, died in the collision.
Two other vehicles were hit in the crash, but people in those two cars were not injured.
"We feel that God played a hand in all of this somehow," Jeremy Melberg reflected.
Jeremy was waiting for his family at the cabin when he got an alert from the Life 360 app that a "crash had been detected." His daughters have the app on their phones for safety reasons. Jeremy says he knew about the crash before the police and drove to the scene right away.
"By the time I got there, three had already been airlifted to HCMC," Jeremy said. "The car looked like it was hit by a train. It's not recognizable."
It's a four-hour drive from Aitkin to Minneapolis, and the father of three spent it gripping the wheel and sweating in terror for his family.
Daughter Ally, her boyfriend, and cousin Daise were not seriously injured but daughter Carly (11) remains in critical condition. Her mom and sister Haley (14) have improved.
"Surgeries are behind us. Big milestone," Jeremy said.
The father and husband isn't used to being the caretaker. Jeremy has spent many days in hospital gowns recently as he's been battling colon cancer for the last 5 years. Now, he finds himself taking off work to care for his girls, who know they are fortunate despite what happened.
"I could have been dead or my kids. Somehow everybody is here," Lisa said.
The Melberg family is leaning on their faith in this hard time, as they firmly believe someone was watching over them on Friday.
Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the crash, but officials said Elizabeth Jane Baldwin, the 61-year-old in the Suburban, was not wearing a seatbelt when the vehicles collided.
A fundraiser for the Merlberg family has been established on GoFundMe.