The sister of five children who died in a “devastating” crash in rural Ontario Friday evening is appealing to the community for support.

Nancy Doerksen has said her family’s “heartbreak and grief is beyond words.” She shared the sentiment on a crowdfunding page following the collision.

The crash happened around 7:30 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Wellington Road 12 and Fourth Line in Mapleton Township, northwest of Guelph.

Investigators say a passenger van carrying 10 people and an SUV carrying one person collided at the intersection.

Five children, ages four, six, eight, 10 and 12, died. They were all Doerksen’s siblings. The second oldest of 12, she was not travelling in the car at the time.

The photo shared on the GoFundMe page is the most recent picture of the whole family, Doerksen confirmed to Global News, though she chose not to be interviewed.

It was taken just two weeks ago on her wedding day.

“Our mom remains in the hospital suffering from multiple injuries, including injuries to her kidney, liver, gallbladder, broken ribs and pelvic bone, along with extensive bruising and trauma,” she said on the page. “At this time, we are unsure how long her recovery will take.”

Doerksen told supporters her dad is recovering at home and is seeking financial support for him as he “cares for our family and helps everyone through the difficult days, weeks, and months ahead.”

Her infant brother has also been released from the hospital.

Doerksen confirmed to Global News the other two people travelling in the van were friends of the family. One remains in hospital in stable condition.

The crowdfunding page was created to help ease the financial burden the family is facing from funeral costs and unexpected travel, she said.

“This support will allow our family to focus on healing, recovery, and being together during this incredibly difficult time,” she said on the fundraiser’s page.

As of Tuesday afternoon, more than $250,000 had been raised.

A separate fundraiser asking for support for medical expenses for the family friends, Peter and Elizabeth Bartsch, has raised nearly $20,000, according to a GoFundMe official.

Nationwide response

The weight of the tragedy has reverberated across the country.

“My thoughts are with the family and their loved ones as they face this horrific tragedy, and with the people of Elmira and Mapleton,” Prime Minister Mark Carney shared on social media.

“I offer my sincere thanks to the first responders for their swift action and support of those who were injured.”

Premier Doug Ford shared a similar sentiment, stating Ontario is “grieving during this terrible time.”

Closer to home, Gregg Davidson, the mayor of Mapleton Township, told The Canadian Press there are supports available for volunteer firefighters and others who witnessed the collision and its aftermath.

“Our community is strong, and our community is resilient,” he said. “We’ll respond with kindness and love, like we always do.”

Mapleton Fire and Rescue said its crews’ “hearts are heavy” and that grief has spread throughout the entire community.

“We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to our neighbouring fire departments, paramedic services, police, and all first responder partners who worked together under extremely challenging circumstances,” a post from the service on social media stated.

“Their professionalism, compassion, and cooperation reflect the very best of our emergency services community. In moments like these, we are reminded of the strength and resilience of our region.”

OPP double down on road rules

The OPP has not given any indication of the cause of the crash, stating the investigation is ongoing, but Chief Supt. Dwight Thib said it “drives home the need for the motoring public to be mindful that intersections can be dangerous.”

Approximately one quarter of the nearly 5,000 collisions recorded in the OPP West region between 2021 and 2025 were intersection-related, according to OPP data. These collisions led to 13 deaths in 2025.

In the lead-up to the collision, OPP had already started planning a traffic intersection safety campaign.

Thib said the campaign, titled “Stop, Look, Live”, is aimed at providing education and enforcement for drivers to provide a full stop at all stop signs.

“There’s lots of traffic down here and [drivers] need to make sure the intersection is clear before proceeding,” he said in a promotional video.

The campaign got underway Monday and is scheduled to run all week.

—with files from Global News’ Prisha Dev and The Canadian Press

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