The Scheid Family Accident

On December 16th, 2019 Sarah Scheid, her children Lucas (12), Natalie (11), Rebekah (7), Katelynn (5), and Malachi (5 months), along with Sarah’s mom Lynn were in a horrific and life changing car accident while driving home from a doctors appointment in Wenatchee to Kittitas, WA. Lucas had broken his wrist, and got lacerations in his mouth in a sledding accident the day before and needed to be seen by a doctor in Wenatchee. Almost home, a tractor trailer in front of them fish tailed and Sarah drove her van safely into the ditch to avoid an accident. After getting out to check the condition of the van and the kids, Sarah got back into the van to gather her thoughts and figure out how to get the van back on the road. The last thing she remembers is reaching to buckle her seat belt. Pieced together from first responder and police reports later, as Sarah reached to fasten her seat belt a tractor trailer coming from behind them smashed into the rear end of their van at an estimated 60mph after hitting ice. Tragically, Sarah’s mom Lynn was killed on impact in the passenger seat. Sarah and all the children were knocked unconscious. Lucas, already with a broken wrist, suffered a broken collarbone on the same side, as well as a traumatic brain injury and a pelvic fracture. Natalie suffered the worst injuries, sustaining a Traumatic Brain Injury, small brain bleed, and a fracture to her C3 & C4 vertabrae, multiple cuts and lacerations, and damage to the arteries in her neck. Miraculously, Natalie appears to have suffered no damage to her spinal cord. She and Lucas have a long road to complete recovery. Sarah and the other 3 kids, aside from bruises and soreness, were okay. Natalie and Lucas were life flighted to Harborview. Lucas was released this evening (Thursday). Natalie is still at Harborview and not expected to be released until midweek next week. At that time she will be transferred to Children’s Hospital. The family van was a total loss. They are now down to one vehicle which is not large enough for the entire family. To compound the issues, Tanner works in Seattle and commutes home to Kittitas everyday. He just started his new job on December 16th, the day of the accident. With his need for his vehicle to make it to work, the family is now left with no vehicle to transport the kids to and from what will likely be months of appointments and therapy. Tanner is the sole income in the house, while Sarah is a stay-at-home mom that includes homeschooling. The family is staying with Tanner’s amazing family in Graham, WA for the time being to be close to Harborview and to Natalie, as well as for the help they’re able to get with the kids who are home now. They are quickly finding bills mounting, from this tragedy. All of this, and just a bit over a week until Christmas. First and foremost Sarah and Tanner would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers, and for their condolences for such an amazing wife, mom, grandma, and friend. The loss is immeasurable. They would also like to offer thanks for the prayers, thoughts, and well wishes for their beautiful family. In the midst of such a tragedy, they also very much feel God’s grace and amazing love and presence, and it’s not lost on them the fact that there are also many, many miracles at work. Any funds raised will go directly to Tanner and Sarah to use in the mounting day to day expenses. Most importantly, they would also very much appreciate continued prayers and thoughts for healing, both spiritually and physically, as well as for the loss of Lynn and for Sarah’s dad and family to find comfort in her loss.