Grandma 'Took a Wrong Turn' and Drove onto Train Tracks. She Spent Final Moments Saving Kids from Being Hit (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Jamie Thomas.Photo:Courtesy Family of Jamie Thomas

Courtesy Family of Jamie Thomas

Jamie Thomas, 48, of Coloma, was driving her car carrying three kids — her granddaughters Sofia, 4, and Mya, 8, as well as a friend of Mya’s — on Saturday, Dec. 7.

“She took a wrong turn and went to turn around and ended up the tracks that had no railroad crossings or lights or anything,” adds Christopher, who is the mother of Sofia, Mya and Viviana, 1, who was not in the car at the time.

A previous news release from theColoma Township Police Departmentsaid that responders were summoned to a railroad crossing on Clements Court in Coloma following a report of a crash between a vehicle and train.

At the time of their announcement, theColoma Township Police Departmentdidn’t identify the names and ages of the victims. But Shelynn Buckley, a family spokesperson, confirms to PEOPLE that Thomas was killed in the crash after the car was stuck on the tracks — but first, she did her best to help the children get out of the vehicle in time.

“Sofia walked away with just soreness,” Buckley adds, noting that the friend only suffered a sprain.

“Even in her last moment, she still made sure those kids got out safe,” Buckley says. “That was a caring, genuine moment. They could have gotten injured [more severely] or even killed."

In addition to her daughter, Thomas is the mother of three other children: Kendall Christopher, 23, Madison Christopher, 19, and Bryson Thomas, 10.

As for Thomas' family, Buckley says they’re understandably struggling with the loss of their loved one. Making it more difficult is that Kendall, the second oldest of Thomas’ children, was scheduled to get married in Texas on Thursday, Dec. 12.

“She’s taking it really rough because she can’t fly home [to Coloma] until Friday [Dec. 13],” Buckley says, “because everything’s already paid for her wedding. So she literally has to go through this for her wedding and fly home."

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As of Friday, Dec. 13, the GoFundMe has raised over $11,000.

“It’s really taking off for us, being in a small town,” Buckley says about the community’s response.  “It’s like with tragedies, we are stronger together.”

Thomas' daughter tells PEOPLE that her mother loved so many things in her life, but her pride and joys were her kids and grandchildren.

“She was simply the best woman in the world,” Christopher adds. “She touched so many peoples lives in many different ways. I’m forever thankful God chose her to be our mother because no one else would have been more perfect.”

source: people.com