Jason Smeltzer Memorial Fund

On August 18th, 2021, my family was informed that my uncle Jason was tragically killed while helping others involved a multi-vehicle accident on I-94 in Jefferson County, Wisconsin. Sadly, the drivers he was helping were also struck and killed.

https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/multiple-fatalities-reported-in-jefferson-county-car-accident?fbclid=IwAR3E5Y6zlX6CmP_c17LvPZ6wwHR0lAGvtCjK1jmqwUFLw_ra8YtIkv-_zTA

https://www.fox6now.com/video/968130

My family and his many friends are utterly devastated by his unexpected and horrific death; he was only 41 years old and leaves behind a 12- and 13-year-old. This man was loved by so, so many.

My heart hurts so much to know how completely broken my mom is with the loss of her only brother and my grandma is having to bury a second child. It’s been painfully surreal for me as well living in the Milwaukee area and seeing the coverage of the accident on the local news. In the past, I’ve always been saddened by tragedy on the screen without ever believing it would ever touch my life too closely. What a shocking reality this has been. Moreover, anytime I head west to visit home, I’ll drive right past and through the crash site, starting with the trip back for the funeral.

Jason was the youngest of my uncles and aunts, making him by far ‘the coolest’ to my childhood self. Many years ago, he gifted me a couple of Pink Floyd albums and one of his old Led Zeppelin tees, authentically living up to that cool uncle title. Items I will now cherish a thousand times over.

Donations made to this site will help my family/parents cover the funeral, memorial, and related death expenses (~$18,000 is our current estimate). After the expenses have been addressed, any amount remaining will be put into an education fund for his kids.

Jason was the most kind and gentle-hearted man. Family was everything to him. He was a devoted, proud and loving father with his kids at the center of his world. He encouraged them to explore their interests and actively supported all of their extra-curriculars, including coaching his son’s baseball team this summer.

My hope in sharing Jason’s story is that we are able to provide some support to his children’s futures. We are eternally grateful for any and all donations.

Jason’s obituary provides a bit more background on his life and the type of father he was to his children: https://www.olsonfuneral.com/obituaries/Jason-Smeltzer/#!/Obituary

Thank you for your consideration and for further sharing Jason’s story where you can.