MADISON LAKE — A large portion of a fundraising goal set for the family of a Madison Lake woman who died in a car accident Saturday has already been raised.
Aja St. Peter, of Madison Lake, died Saturday after she was ejected in the crash, according to the GoFundMe page.
St. Peter was the passenger in a Chevrolet C20 driven by her husband Justin St. Peter. They were on a memorial ride for their niece, Jocelynn Passon, and were traveling northbound on Highway 169 at milepost 50 in Blue Earth County when the vehicle lost a tire and rolled into the median, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.
So far, at least $54,700 of a recent $75,000 GoFundMe fundraising goal has already been raised for the family.
The fundraiser’s primary organizer, Nicole Fossen, posted on the St. Peter’s GoFundMe page Monday, “We are blown away by the incredible amount of generosity and outpouring of love from friends, family and those we have not met yet. THANK YOU!!!”
Neither Justin nor Aja, both 42, were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, the Minnesota State Patrol reported after the accident.
Justin was airlifted to St. Marys in Rochester, where he was diagnosed with having severe injuries to his neck, spine and chest that required surgery, the fundraising page said.
It further said the couple has three daughters, 18-year-old Paige, 16-year-old Paityn and 11-year-old Paisley. Paige was scheduled to begin classes as a freshman at Minnesota State University on Monday but decided to delay her start to support her family.
“With this loss there is a huge hole left in the lives of so many people as Justin and Aja are so deeply loved,” the page says.
Justin is the sole provider for the family through his business DC Landscaping. All donations made to the GoFundMe fundraiser will go directly to the family for help with daily expenses, the children’s needs, pending bills, family travel between home and Rochester and “all other financial hardships that may come their way,” the fundraising page states.