ENUMCLAW, Wash. — A south Sound family is grieving after a beloved husband and wife, Parminder Singh Bajwa and Harpreet Kour Bajwa, were tragically killed Friday by a driver authorities say was distracted.
The Washington State Patrol said the driver who caused the crash was reaching for their cell phone when they swerved into the other lane and hit the couple's car head-on.
In the wake of this devastating crash, the community is stepping in to ensure the couple's two young kids are cared for.
"They're very nice people. Good people," said Harjinder Singh, father of Harpreet Kour Bajwa.
The pair are survived by their two young children, an eight-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son, who now face a future without their parents.
"Probably, at this point in time, are not even able to comprehend what has happened," said Yashvinder Singh, a friend of their father's.
"He cried a little bit yesterday," said Sonne Kahlon, the 5-year-old's uncle. "But he didn't fully cry. I know he's gonna let it out at the funeral, and it's like, I don't know how to talk to them."
Harpreet Kour Bajwa was described as the glue of the family and a nurturer who loved kids.
"She was always there for everybody," said her brother, Kahlon.
Parminder Singh Bajwa was remembered as a good man that could brighten anyone's day.
"He made you feel precious," Singh said. "And that’s why we’re all standing here right now."
He was in the motorcycle group the Sikh Riders Washington, which helps to raise money for charity. That group is now paying for his funeral, and they set up a fundraising page to ask for your help in creating a trust fund for the children. They are hoping to raise at least $200,000, according to members of the Sikh Riders group.
"That'll enable for them to have at least a starting point of a good education and all the expenses that go along with everyday living," Kahlon said.
However, everyday living will be entirely different for people closest to the pair in the wake of this devastating tragedy.
"Don't even be on your phone while you're driving," Kahlon said. "It's not that important! Not over other people's lives."