Grieving Minneapolis husband shares gender reveal video after wife and unborn daughter die in drunk driving crash
A Minneapolis man has shared a heartbreaking video of him and his wife finding out the gender of their unborn baby, just weeks before the expectant mother and her child were killed by a drunk driver.
Christopher Yang posted footage online showing him and his late wife Melinda Thao celebrating after discovering the gender of their daughter Leona.
The clip shows Yang going through the results on his phone in the car, before happily telling his wife that they are having a girl.
Thao can be seen in the clip laughing and happily saying, “It’s a girl! Oh my god, crazy.”
On Sunday, just five weeks after the touching moment, Thao was killed along with her unborn daughter after they were involved in a car crash with a drunk driver. Yang survived with minor injuries.
Christopher Yang posted footage online showing him and his late wife Melinda Thao finding out the gender of their baby girl Leona
On Sunday, just five weeks after the moving moment, Thao and her daughter were killed after being involved in a car accident, with Yang surviving
Authorities say Makayla April Sua Richardson, 20, drove through a red light while intoxicated and collided with her family.
Authorities said Makayla April Sua Richardson, 20, drove through a red light while intoxicated and crashed into the family.
Richardson was charged Tuesday with manslaughter in a traffic accident, two counts of criminal mischief involving traffic violations and one count of driving under the influence.
If found guilty, Richardson faces up to 10 years in prison for her role in their deaths. She was released on bail Wednesday, the Star tribune.
Richardson told police she had one drink before driving, and admitted to speeding and not having a valid driver’s license, according to court documents obtained by KSTP.
Responding officers reported seeing an empty can in her vehicle that contained alcohol. Richardson also failed a field sobriety test.
According to the Tribune, in a later interview with police, she said she had drunk two shots of alcohol and half a glass of sparkling water.
Since the incident, Yang has started an online fundraiser to help him with expenses related to the deaths of his wife and daughter.
In his GoFundMeHe also described the difficulties they faced when they first became parents.
According to Yang, their daughter, whom they had already named, was due to be born on his wife’s birthday, January 19.
He wrote: ‘Melinda was so excited, she waited until I went on my lunch break so we could look at the results together. To our surprise it was a GIRL!’
According to Yang, their daughter, whom they had already named, was due to be born on his wife’s birthday, January 19.
He added: ‘It pains me to be reminded that we went baby clothes shopping that morning [of the crash]and now I don’t have Melinda and Leona anymore.
‘I am making myself vulnerable to others, also to help myself with the injuries I have sustained, my recovery (physical, emotional and mental) and future legal proceedings.
‘Everything is happening too fast, but I’m trying to think ahead and get justice and closure for Melinda and Leona in court.
“If you find it in your heart and financial means to help, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I pray that everyone stays safe, that you love your loved ones dearly, and that you continue to cherish every moment of your life.”
With a target amount of $150,000, Yang had already raised more than $36,000 as of Thursday evening.