PONTIAC, Mich. – Pontiac city officials and community leaders came together Friday to bring holiday cheer to a 9-year-old girl who lost her mother and two younger brothers in a tragic crash earlier this year.
Demi Smith, who recently began walking again after suffering a broken leg in the August crash, received Christmas gifts and a $1,000 check from the Bob Kaiser Charity during the surprise celebration.
U.S. Rep. Haley Stephens and State Rep. Brenda Carter joined Mayor-Elect Mike McGuinness, Oakland County Chair Dave Woodward, and Councilman William Carrington in organizing the holiday gathering.
“I’m just grateful to watch her press on in such a strengthful way because her strength is an example for me,” said Dannielle Mays, Smith’s cousin.
The Aug. 29 crash claimed the lives of 37-year-old Deniquah Reed and her two sons — 6-year-old Dex and 4-year-old Dior — when their car was struck by a speeding driver at the intersection of Montcalm and Joslyn Roads.
The family’s car had been stopped at a red light when it was hit.
“They will be missed tremendously,” Mays said. “I think I’ve never cried so much in my entire life. They were pillars of our family. They made us glow.”
Denita Reed, Demi’s grandmother, described Deniquah as beautiful both inside and out.
She said Dex and Dior were both full of joy.
“Dex was a dancer. He always said, ‘Grandma, I’m going to be an NFL football player.’ He had his own dance already, the dance he was going to do every time he made a touchdown,” Reed said. “Dior, he was a truck man. He loved trucks and cars.”
Cicely Kaiser, founder of the Bob Kaiser Charity, talked about the motivation behind the holiday gesture.
“I just wanted to make a difference because during the holidays, in a difficult situation such as this, you just need that support,” Kaiser said.
The 21-year-old driver of the Honda Civic that caused the crash still hasn’t been charged.
The driver reportedly crossed into oncoming traffic before striking the family’s car.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it submitted a case to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office regarding the crash and is now awaiting a charging decision.
Reed, who is now raising Demi, said the community’s outpouring of support has given their family the strength to keep moving forward.
“It gives me hope. The days that I don’t want to do it, I do it because of this, because it keeps a smile on her face as well as mine,” Reed said.