Savannah Stuebs, the 9-month-old Springfield girl who suffered fatal head injuries last week in a camping accident, will be buried Friday with her 4-year-old brother, Dustin, who was killed in the same accident.
Savannah died Sunday night at a Peoria hospital.
Her parents, Jason and Christina Stuebs, decided to remove her from life support after doctors determined during surgery Saturday that her brain was severely and irreversibly damaged.
The Stuebs donated a valve from Savannah’s heart to another child, said her uncle, Dale Logerquist.
“She’s going to live on in another child, which is good,” he said.
Visitation for Dustin and Savannah will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Calvary Temple, 1730 W. Jefferson St. It is open to the public. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Calvary, with burial in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
“It makes you realize that all the problems that we had a week and a day ago are so pale and so relatively insignificant to what really in this world matters. Why worry about the little things?” Logerquist said.
“I hear people that live to be 100 saying don’t worry about the little things. It’s just so, so true. Everybody should take the moment now and kiss their kids because you don’t know what tomorrow holds.”
The accident happened at daybreak July 21 at the Indian Trails Resort in Colona near the Quad Cities. It was the Stuebs family’s first trip to that particular campground.
A storm with straight-line winds of up to 100 mph blew into the campground and pushed an 18-inch-diameter oak tree over onto one of the family’s two tents.
Jason, Christina, Dustin, Savannah and three other children — 9-year-old Dyantae, 7-year-old Hannah and 1-year-old Jacob — had been sleeping in the tent the tree fell on. Two daughters, Danielle, 12, and Madison, 10, were sleeping in a second tent a few feet away.
All the children suffered injuries of some sort, but Dustin and Savannah were the most seriously hurt. Dustin’s abdomen and legs were crushed, and he died more than two hours later at the hospital.
Madison suffered facial fractures that may require reconstructive surgery, and the other children had pain, cuts and scratches. The family’s dog, Minnie, also was crushed and died beneath the tree.
Jayette Bolinski can be reached at 788-1530.
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Me again. It would always be difficult to do so for anyone, but I think that having to make the decision to turn off life support for one’s baby would be the most difficult thing ever! May God give them even more strength to see them through the next few days and beyond!
Comments (22)
I am so sorry to hear about your nephew’s children. I didn’t read original entry that you wrote about the accident. My heart and prayers go out to the family. :heartbeat:
oh this is just so heart-breaking… and you’re right, the most difficult thing ever for parents to do… it must be some comfort to them to know that precious Savannah is living on in another child… my prayers are continuing for all of you, Nancy. :heartbeat:
my thoughts and prayers go out to your family at this time of grief. take care
So truly tragic. As has been so often said, it is not meant for parents to bury their children. My prayers to them all.
When you are not involed its easy to say it was the best thing for the little one but I agree with you it must of been very diffcult for her parents. The family deserves all the prayers from around the world that all your friends are sending them
Oh I’m so sorry for the loss. I can’t even begin to imagine. They’ll be in my prayers.
My thoughts and prayers are with your nephew and his family. What a terrible tragedy. :love:
I’m so sad to hear about the babies. So sad….I have a friend who lost two babies….one to a natural death, the other in an auto accident. She survived all those years on faith. She always said that she had 5 children, that two had gone on before and that they were angels.
Indeed it would be a horrible decision. I will try to remember to get a card for the family today.
Our hearts are sad for this family i will be holding them up in prayer God has called his two little angel’s home with him we don’t understand why but we do know that God is there for all of them and is holding there hands as they go through this most difficult time sending prayer to you all
sandy
Prayers for the family!
Last week, when I was on my way to Peoria, I heard this on the news. Later that evening, SouthForkCheerMom called, while her news was on, at home, and said, “MOM!!! Did you hear about those folks camping!?!?” I told her I had…….still not realizing they were your relatives, even tho I knew they were. We’d talked several months ago about your being related.
SO SO SORRY!!!! God’s blessings on all of you!!
I am so very, very sorry for all of you, Hon. I have been crying my eyes out since reading about little Savannah going to Heaven. She and Dustin are both in the arms of our Lord, but oh, their poor parents! I know they must be so devastated! Their hearts broken, and still they have so much they must do! So much to face yet with the one daughter that will need so much facial surgery! And the funeral Friday. And trying to feed and raise the remaining children! Their poor lives will never be the same……all will feel this tragedy for a long time. The children will miss their siblings. And their pet! I will keep them in my prayers, Dear.
Hugs, Ethel
I had so been hoping for a better result. My heart goes out to the family. Bless them all.
My heart is breaking for this family. I admire them for releasing their precious baby into the arms of Jesus.
How dreadful to have to take such a decision. My prayers are for the whole family. May God bless them. Marie
Again, what is there to say but, Oh, Nancy!
I am so very sorry to hear about your nephew’s family. How incredibly hard it must be to deal with such a loss! My prayers are for them and for you too.
A tragedy no parent should have to go through. I’ll keep the family in my prayers.
My prayers are with all who were touched by this terrable tragedy.
You’re right…that would be a terrible decision to be faced with. Prayers go out…
How sad it is a decision I think was right and I can undersdtand the family giving it ,,when I read about all these deaths of young people, and me so old .I feel there is a time and a place for everyone and not much any of us can do about it except grieve when it is someone near, Love Marj