Family overwhelmed by support after 3 children killed in Springfield crash

When Marcel Popa's cousin lost three children last week in a gruesome crash, Popa felt called to create a fundraising page to help support the family with medical bills and funeral expenses.

And Popa wanted to be the first person to make a donation.

But seconds after Popa hit publish on the GoFundMe page, someone else swooped in and made a donation on behalf of the Dobos family.

The contributions haven't slowed down since.

In the four days since the page was launched, friends, family and total strangers have donated more than $135,000 for the Clever family whose three children were thrown from a van and pronounced dead at the scene after a crash Thursday on Interstate 44 in Greene County.

"I just can't believe it," Popa said. "I really can't believe it."

Troopers say a semitrailer was pulling back onto the highway at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday near the Chestnut Expressway exit when a van driven by Claudia Dobos came upon the semitrailer from behind.

The van hit the semi, went off the roadway and crashed into a cable barrier, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

The van was carrying all eight of Claudia and Ionel Dobos' children, and they were all buckled up. But three of the children — Julia, 6; Angelina, 7; and Olivia, 8 — were ejected and killed as the crash tore a large hole in the passenger side of the van.

Popa said he was stunned when his cousin called him with the tragic news.

"I thought I was dreaming," Popa said. "When I realized I wasn't, I just started crying."

Popa said Claudia and Ionel, both immigrants from Romania, are understandably devastated but they are leaning on their faith in God.

Popa said that when Ionel, an assistant pastor at Eben Ezer Romanian Assembly, was called to come identify the bodies of his three children, he knelt down and thanked God for sparing his wife and five other children and welcoming the three girls into heaven.

"Their faith in God keeps them going," Popa said.

Julia, Angelina and Olivia were sweet girls, Popa said.

Olivia, he said, was energetic and friendly. Angelina was calm and quiet. Julia was always laughing and smiling.

The crash is being investigated by the highway patrol's major crash investigations unit.

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