An Ohio mother is dead after a car crash took her life. Now her 6-month-old baby, whose father died of COVID-19 just months ago, will grow up without either of her parents.
Kera Leskovec was a teacher in the Salem City School District. She was killed on Tuesday while she was driving to work.
"It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I must inform you of the passing of Mrs. Kera Leskovec, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident on her way to work this morning," Superintendent Sean Kirkland wrote in a statement. "Kera was an extremely valued Jr/Sr High teacher and individual that will be greatly missed by her colleagues and students alike."
The timing of Kera's death is simply unthinkable. Her baby, Avalee, just lost her father over the summer. Now the child has been left without parents.
A GoFundMe page has been organized for the baby. It reads, "Only months after losing her husband to COVID-19, our friend Kera was tragically killed in a car accident on November 2nd, 2021. As sad as we are for her loss of life, we are saddened that their daughter Avalee will have to navigate life without her loving parents. We are raising money to cover funeral expenses and anything left will go directly to Avalee’s care during this difficult time and beyond."
People have clearly been touched by their story. The page has already raised over $50,000 in just a couple of days, since the news of Kera's death broke.
The story is just horrific, but luckily, baby Avalee wasn't in the car at the time of the crash. Kera had just dropped off the child at her mother's house before she went to work. Then, on her way to work, she was hit head-on by a car that drifted into her lane. Both Kera and the other driver — identified as Jonathan Walter, 28 — were killed.
Back in August, Kera wrote a tribute post to her husband, Kevin. "I have truly been blessed to call Kevin a friend for 13 years and a husband for 6 years. Words can't express how much I will miss him," she wrote on social media.
"He left me with the greatest gift of all, sweet baby Avalee. She will grow up hearing amazing stories of her Dad, and I have no doubt she will know how much he loved her. Kevin, I will love you forever and always," she continued. "You will be so missed!"
Todd McLaughlin, the principal at the school Kera worked at, called her a "wonderful" teacher — who will "be greatly missed."
"The kids really, really, really liked her," he told the Canton Repository.
