Milwaukee fatal crash; remembering mother, daughter lost 7 years ago
MILWAUKEE - It’s been seven years since a Milwaukee mother and her infant daughter were killed in a crash.
Wednesday, Oct. 2, their loved ones continue to honor their memory and remind Milwaukee to slow down.
With each balloon, the family of 27-year-old Shakela Rhodes and 11-month-old Aaliyah Ellis were sending love and hugs to the sky. The two were killed by a speeding driver near 35th and Capitol in October 2017.
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"Even seven years later, it’s still hard," said aunt Marylin Copeland. "Your wounds never heal because you don’t expect this."
The impact caused their vehicle to slam into a county bus. Rhodes and her baby girl died instantly. Another family member in the car survived.
The driver, 22-year-old Reggie Gaston, was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
"It’s not [easier]," said mother Jackie Rhodes. "I can’t half drive. I’m scared."
Rhodes said her love for her daughter and grandchild runs deep, even in death. She’s now looking out for the four children she left behind.
"It’ll be alright baby. It’ll be alright," she said. "They go through this all the time. School, at home, but we talk. It helps, but it don’t."
Still mourning the loss of her niece and great-niece, Copeland is supporting her sister, while mourning her son she said was killed just last year.
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"I lost a son too last year, so it’s kind of hard," Copeland said. "I feel my sister’s pain because you never lost a child. You don’t know the pain."
In the midst of it all, they want Milwaukee to hear their message.
"Slow down, please. Because I see it all the time when I’m looking at the news it's just sad."
While it will never get easier, the family said they will continue to honor Shakela and Aaliyah.