The Eyrie

MATTAWAN, MI — The family of two Mattawan teenagers has identified them as victims of a deadly early Sunday crash in Texas Township that left one teen dead at the scene and another in critical condition. Jordyn Bigham, 15, and Jada Bigham, 16, were in a car with three other students when it went off the road, hit a tree and caught fire, according to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office.

Christina Norris, the girls’ grandmother, said Jordyn was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene along with the 16-year-old driver. Jada underwent surgery Monday and was listed in stable but critical condition. Family members and neighbors have since turned to prayers, donations and messages of support as they try to absorb the loss.

Grandmother describes sisters who were rarely apart

Norris said the sisters were constantly together and rarely went anywhere without one another. She described them as inseparable, saying that when one was around, the other usually was too. For the family, that closeness makes the crash even harder to process.

Speaking with News Channel 3, Norris expressed disbelief at having to talk about Jordyn in the past tense. She remembered her granddaughter as “my baby angel” and said the pain of that change is difficult to put into words. The family’s grief is being shared publicly as the community learns more about the crash and the young people involved.

Jada’s condition remained serious after surgery, and Norris said the family is hoping for a recovery that will take time. The crash has left relatives balancing mourning for one teenager while waiting for news about another still in the hospital.

Deputies say the car left the road and burned

The Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened early Sunday morning in Texas Township, west of Kalamazoo. Deputies said the vehicle left the roadway, struck a tree and then caught fire. Authorities have not publicly detailed what caused the car to leave the road.

The crash involved five students, according to the family’s account and the sheriff’s office description. Jordyn died at the scene, while Jada survived but required surgery. The 16-year-old driver also died in the crash, the family said.

Investigators are still looking into the circumstances surrounding the wreck. No additional details about the other passengers’ conditions were provided in the family’s account shared Monday.

GoFundMe seeks help with funeral and medical costs

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help cover Jordyn’s funeral expenses and Jada’s medical treatment. The fundraiser reflects the immediate financial strain that can follow a sudden crash, especially when a family is facing both burial costs and an extended hospital stay at the same time.

Norris also said a long recovery appears likely for Jada even if she survives the worst of the injuries. The family’s focus now is on care, support and practical help while they wait for more answers about the crash. Community donations are one way people have responded as the family navigates the aftermath.

Restaurant closure underscores the family impact

Norris’s restaurant, Nena’s Cooper Cafe, has been closed since the crash because the family needs her attention, she said in a Facebook post. Most of the staff are relatives, and both sisters had helped serve free Thanksgiving meals to the community. The closure shows how the loss has reached beyond the immediate household and into the family’s work life.

On the cafe’s Facebook page, Norris wrote that the business would not reopen that day and apologized for the inconvenience. Her message made clear that the family’s needs must come first for now. It also reflected how closely tied the restaurant is to the people at the center of the tragedy.

Prayer gatherings planned at the school and hospital

Support has spread beyond the family to classmates, church members and other residents trying to help in the wake of the crash. Norris said the messages have been overwhelmingly kind, though some online responses have been hurtful and have included misinformation. She urged people to focus on compassion rather than speculation.

Local pastor Daniel Brooks, a Mattawan Consolidated Schools class of 1993 alumnus, said the loss brought back painful memories of classmates he lost in a 1991 crash. He posted on Facebook calling for people to gather in prayer outside Bronson Methodist Hospital. Brooks said he wanted to be a source of support for the families and students who need it.

A vigil is planned for 6:50 p.m. at Mattawan High School, and a separate group prayer is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at Bronson Methodist Hospital. The gatherings are expected to give the community a place to mourn, pray and show support for the families.