Two young sisters, aged 12 and 14, are in extremely critical condition following a vehicle collision in Glendale, as they were crossing mid-block on 59th Avenue near Greenway Road. The Glendale Police Department confirmed that the incident took place on the night of September 13, and the girls were identified as Kaliyah Reyes, 12, and Delilah Marquez, 14. Despite the severity of the accident, the driver involved stayed on the scene and was cooperative with the authorities, showing no signs of impairment. Consequently, no charges are expected to be filed in connection to the incident, as FOX 10 Phoenix reported.
In the wake of the tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign has been organized to support the Reyes and Marquez families through this ordeal. Tragically, Kaliyah is currently on life support, deemed brain dead by the doctors, while her sister Delilah has been fighting a brain bleed. "They experienced a sudden medical emergency and is now in the ICU & on life support. The doctors have informed us that Kaliyah is brain dead & Delilah has a brain bleed and we are facing the unimaginable," as detailed by the GoFundMe fundraising page. A sense of hope, however, is held for Delilah, who woke up from a coma and is showing signs of recovery, according to an AZ Family interview with the family.
The accident has prompted a strong community response, with loved ones and members of the community coming together to hold a prayer circle on September 16. In support of the stricken family, candles were lit and messages were scribed in chalk on the sidewalk. The family's uncle, Frank Madrid expressed the shock and heartache enveloping the family, "Life can change in the blink of an eye. We all know that we do our best to protect our children. We try our hardest, and sometimes, no matter how hard we try, it's just some things we can't change," he told FOX 10 Phoenix.
While grappling with their potential loss, the family emphasized the preciousness of the moments the sisters shared before the tragedy, and the unbreakable bond between them. "It was the happiest time of her life. We can honestly say that. One thing is for sure, they had a bond. They finally got together. They were together, and they started having the time of their lives," Madrid reflected. Meanwhile, Delilah's cousin, Cassandra Marquez, spoke of the outpouring of community support, "We were like what if no one really shows up, what if it’s just immediate family. We were genuinely scared, but the fact that so many people showed up is so heartwarming. This is a great community," she told AZ Family. This incident has also prompted calls for drivers in the Valley to slow down and take greater precaution to prevent such tragedies from occurring again.
