Fundraising efforts started for two adults that died after a head-on collision with a school bus

CAMPTON TOWNSHIP — On Monday, Oct. 31, the Kane County Coroner’s Office was called to the scene of a crash that occurred between a school bus and a 2013 Lexus SUV.

The accident happened on Empire Road between Burlington Road and Route 47.

According to a press release from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, four individuals were riding inside the SUV when it slammed into the back of a school bus that was transporting students from Lily Lake Grade School (5N720 Route 47, Maple Park).

The school bus was stopped near the intersection of Kingswood Drive to drop off a student. The driver of the SUV, an 18-year-old male from Elgin, did not appear to slow down at the time of the crash, stated Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain during a news conference.

While the driver of the SUV sustained non-life-threatening injuries, one of the passengers, a 17-year-old female from South Elgin, had to be transported to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva and later airlifted to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago to treat her life-threatening injuries.

Unfortunately, the two other passengers of the SUV, a brother and sister, lost their lives as a result of the accident.

After an autopsy was performed on Nov. 1, the Kane County Coroner’s Office identified 19-year-old Emil Diewald and 20-year-old Grace Diewald, both from unincorporated St. Charles Township, as the two fatalities resulting from blunt-force trauma due to the crash.

Neither the bus driver nor any of the children onboard the bus were injured. All of the students were able to be released to their families upon being inspected by medical personnel on scene.

“More than 30 students were on their way home from school Monday when their school bus was struck by a car along Empire Road. Our bus riders were treated and released on scene to their parents by emergency responders and administrative staff,” said Central Community Unit School District 301 Superintendent Todd Stirn in a press release statement.

He continued, “We are thankful for our parents’ calm, patient, and cooperative response as we worked together to release their children from the scene. We are making support staff available to students and staff throughout the day on Tuesday (Nov. 1) to offer accommodations as they need it.”

While the incident is still being investigated, a Go Fund Me fundraiser was started for the two siblings who lost their lives.

“No family should ever go through the loss of children. Grace was 20 and she had many goals in life and would [brighten] up every room she was in. Emil had just turned 19 and had a warm heart and cared about his family and friends. We can’t even imagine the pain their parents are going through,” wrote Krystal Nelson, the organizer for the Diewald Go Fund Me account.

As of Nov. 2, the fundraiser has managed to raise over $40,000 of its $50,000 goal, which Nelson states will be used to help the Diewald family with funeral costs and other unknown future expenses they may encounter.

Individuals interested in donating to the Diewald Go Fund Me can do so by visiting gofund.me/49379cf8.