Pastor's Wife, Mother of 4, Killed in Bus Crash While on Jamaica Vacation With Daughter
A vacation in Jamaica ended tragically last Thursday for a Minnesota pastor's wife and mother of four when she was killed after a truck crashed into a tour bus in which she was traveling.
Crystal Glewwe, 32, wife of Pastor Rick Glewwe who oversees family ministries at the downtown Minneapolis and Spring Lake Park campuses of Substance Church, was with her 9-year-old daughter, Kayden, on a mother-daughter cruise when a truck smashed into their tour bus in Jamaica, according to Fox News. Kayden had to undergo surgery Thursday night in Jamaica and suffered a broken clavicle.
"It is with heavy hearts that we are communicating about a tragedy that happened in our church family yesterday. Crystal and Kayden were on a special vacation, enjoying a mother-daughter cruise when, yesterday (Jan. 14), Pastor Rick got a call that there had been a terrible bus accident in Jamaica and that Crystal (his wife) had passed away," the church noted in a statement Friday.
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Kayden was treated at a local hospital and the church's Executive Pastor Bart Scharrer accompanied Glewwe to Jamaica to assist. They returned to Minnesota on Saturday with Kayden. Crystal's three other children are Taylor, 6, Faith, 4, and Bailey, 20 months.
"Obviously, the staff and I are completely torn up over this. I'm still struggling to wrap my mind around this. There is a lot we don't know yet. But we will keep you posted on the details and how you can help. In the meantime, we appreciate your thoughts and prayers," wrote Pastor Peter Haas.
On Sunday, Haas remembered Crystal as someone who would "just love on people."
"She knew the names of every family, and she knew the names of all their kids. And would just love on people," he said. "This whole trip was so she could love on her daughter, make an incredible memory."
In a series of posts to his Facebook page, Haas also revealed that scores of people gathered at the church to pray for the Glewwe family and explained that the bereaved family has been receiving an outpouring of support.
"In this life, there are tragedies that truly make the heart sick; but thank God, there also churches that truly make the heart well. Thank you everyone for your overwhelming prayers and support for @rickglewwe2 & family," he wrote.
"We will hopefully post links to the memorial fund tomorrow and will provide updates as soon as we have them. I wish that everyone could experience the type of fellowship and encouragement that I've felt in the last 48 hours. It may not remove pain; but it definitely transforms it. I have a renewed compassion for anyone who has to face a crisis without it. Love you guys. You are truly the best."
