ALVORDTON, Ohio — A devastating crash in Defiance County has left four young brothers without their mother, drawing swift support from northwest Ohio communities.
Jennifer “Jen” Bartlett, 47, of Alvordton, died Thursday evening, Feb. 12, when the Chrysler Town & Country she was driving was struck head-on in Adams Township. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports a teenage driver crossed the center line on Domersville Road, colliding with her minivan. Bartlett was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger, 40-year-old Robert Sabo III of Terre Haute, Indiana, and the teen driver were seriously injured.
Known as a devoted mother who gave everything to her four sons, Bartlett’s sudden loss has left her family grieving deeply while facing hefty funeral and burial costs.
Kimberly Swalley, the boys’ stepmother and Bartlett’s ex-husband’s wife, quickly created a GoFundMe titled “Helping Jen’s Boys Through This Loss.” In a short amount of time, it has raised over $800 of its $8,000 goal to cover services and ease the financial strain.
“My name is Kim,” Swalley wrote. “My husband’s ex-wife and the mother of his children was killed in a head-on collision Thursday night. She was a wonderful mother to her four boys. They recently lost their grandmother, and now their mom. The boys can’t afford the funeral costs. Any help means everything.”
The fundraiser has spread rapidly through local Facebook groups, with residents from Defiance, Williams, and Fulton counties donating and sharing.
“Jen showed up for everything,” one supporter noted. “Her boys need us now.”
Contributions can be made at: Fundraiser by Kimberly Swalley : Helping Jen’s Boys Through This Loss