Mom Is the Only One to Survive a Crash That Tragically Killed Her Husband and 4 Daughters

A New Jersey mom has tragically lost her entire family following a car crash on the way home from a Fourth of July holiday in Ocean City, MD. Mary Rose Ballocanag and her family — husband Audie Trinidad and daughters, Kaitlyn, 20, Danna, 17, and 14-year-old twins Melissa and Allison — were headed north on Route 1 in Delaware when a southbound truck clipped another car, crossed the median, and T-boned the family's van, which then flipped over. Although Mary Rose and Audie were wearing their seat belts in the front of the van, police said at least some of the girls were not.

Trinidad's brother, Daniel, is grappling with the loss of his oldest brother and nieces. "How are you going to bury five people at the same time? There's no answer . . ." he said to the New York Post. "Now my sister-in-law is all by herself. What will she do? This is like a tragedy 100 times over."

Mary Rose, who is currently undergoing care at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan, reportedly suffered multiple fractures, but is expected to survive. The mom of four is aware of the fact that her family was killed. "Right after the accident, she called her friend," Daniel said, adding that the mom cried, "They're all gone," to said friend.

Larry DuHadaway, an off-duty firefighter and paramedic who witnessed the crash, says it was "the worst one" he's seen in 28 years on the job. Despite his recount of the "horrific" scene, there's no way of knowing whether any of the girls who weren't properly restrained could have survived had they been buckled — a sobering reminder to all parents to encourage wearing a seat belt no matter what.

A GoFundMe has been started to help Mary Rose with hospital and funeral expenses. Its original goal of $10,000 was far surpassed and, at press time, has raised over $199,000 of its new $250,000 goal.