PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — What began as a routine pregnancy check-up for an expecting mother turned into a family clinging on for life as a horrific crash has kept them in Portland hospitals for over a week.
The couple was driving on Highway 30 from Astoria to Oregon Health and Sciences University for an appointment, the same hospital where he underwent a surgery due to injuries from the crash on Wednesday. The mom and baby are both in critical condition across the Willamette River at Legacy Health.
The madly in love Jake Kelly and Ashleigh Baumgarden were ready to welcome their baby girl into the world. However, their road to parenthood took a turn their families never expected.
“It looked like they were dead, and nobody believed that they survived it,” said Mary Davis, Jake’s mom.
After the crash on July 30, both Jake and Ashleigh were separately life-flighted to Portland. One of the helicopters could be seen in the photos Mary shared with KOIN 6 News.
“They were just looking at four more weeks, five more weeks until they could hold their baby in their arms,” Mary said.
Oregon State Police said a driver crossed into their lane on Highway 30, close to milepost 155 near Rainier, hitting them head-on.
Jake has now had numerous surgeries. Ashleigh gave birth prematurely as the crash happened 23 days before she was supposed to be induced. She and the baby are now on life support.
“If everybody could please just keep praying, don’t just pray once, pray every day, every day, we need big miracles for those girls,” said Mary, who just held her new granddaughter for the first time Wednesday. “She’s got a lot of hair, just teeny tiny. It was hard to put her down, I didn’t want to put her down.”
An off-duty volunteer firefighter witnessed the crash and jumped in to help, trying to pull Jake and Ashleigh from the car. He also put the oxygen on Ashleigh.
“Because he’s a volunteer firefighter he jumped out and he went and stayed the whole time,” Mary said.
The crash has raised safety concerns as neighbors urge the Oregon Department of Transportation to make improvements along that stretch of Highway 30.
Just four days earlier, Oregon State Police said two people died and four others were hurt in a multi-car, head-on crash in the same area.
“What next? God only knows,” said Bill Davis, Jake’s step-dad.
Jake and Ashleigh’s family are praying for solutions — and fast — so they don’t have to see another tragedy happen to someone else.
“Jake is real, real concerned about what’s next, ‘How do I make a living now?’ He’s all busted up,” Bill said.
Friends and family are now trying to raise money via a GoFundMe page to help with medical expenses and other financial challenges since the recovery timeframe is uncertain. Mary said it’s a battle they can’t win alone.
“We’re between grieving and being hopeful and so all the prayers that we can get from everyone, that’s what we’re hoping for,” she said.
ODOT told KOIN 6 News they’re planning to meet with neighbors in the next few weeks about safety improvements along that stretch of Highway 30.
OSP is looking into criminal charges for the other driver.
One glimmer of good news: Jake and his family are scheduled to meet the off-duty firefighter who helped save their lives on Thursday.
