Funeral Planned for Mother Son and Daughter
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Family Killed in Wreck
Family Killed in Wreck
Published: January 12, 2009
Updated: January 12, 2009
Funeral arrangements are set for a mother, daughter and son who died in a wreck on Friday.
29 year old Patricia Bigger, 7 year old Caroline Bigger and 4 year old Anthony Bigger will be buried in Terre Haute, Indiana on Thursday. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 5 to 7pm at Park Street Baptist Church, 114 Robinson Avenue in Easley where services will be at 7pm with Reverend Terry Going officiating.
Master Trooper W.R. Stinson of the North Carolina Highway Patrol says that 29-year old Patricia Bigger, of Liberty, and her two children, 7-year old Caroline and 4-year old Anthony died at different hospitals following the accident. Stinson says that a 1999 Plymouth van driven by Brent Bigger, the husband and father, went off Pickens Highway, just south of Rosman, and into a pond. Bigger made his way to the road where he managed to flag down help.
Stinson says that authorities responded to the scene within minutes of the initial call and that rescue crews managed to get Patricia Bigger and the two children out of the car and water. The mother and children were in full cardiac arrest before they were transported to different hospitals. The two children later died at Greenville Memorial Hospital, while the mother died at Transylvania Hospital.
Linda Cater knew her neighbors only through passing but is heartbroken for Brent Bigger. “I can’t imagine what he is going through,” she said. “God bless you and help you,” Cater said.
Cater say Caroline and Anthony would play outside all the time. “Everyday their daddy would come home and they would run out there and get his lunch bag and take it into the house,” she remembered.
Highway Patrol says that they are still trying to “piece together what happened,“ and that state and federal authorities have been called into assist with the investigation. Several members of the dive team were also treated due to hypothermia.
Memorials may be made to: Shaohannah’s Hope, P.O. Box 647, Franklin, TN 37065.
Reader Reactions
A friend sent me this link. I, too, want to encourage people to be kind. Investigations are a normal part of an accident, but there has been information given out that the questioning and detaining given Mr. Bigger borders on “emotional brutality”. In my opinion, in that precious time the hospital was trying to revive his family was not the time to be interogating and detaining. Seems cruel and unusual to me. I hope this is checked out. Such insensitivity is inhumane…and had to be so hurtful…in my opinion.
As much as I hated to see the pond… it helped me to realize how dark and isolated an area it is in. Brent is a very kind and loving individual with great integrity. My heart goes out to him as he deals with such a nightmare experience. No lights to guide him—and in dark, deep water—plus probable disorientation from the impact—I know the kind of man Brent is…and I know he would have tried his best to rescue his family. I trust no one adds to his misery with careless comments. God bless the Bigger/Miller families.
I’ve read all the comments that have been posted. Patricia was my cousin and I know that Brent did try to free his family, I also know that people will always have their own opinions on what happened, but this is a horrible tragedy and I’m so thankful for my blessings in life. Brent is going to face some lonely days ahead of him and we need to pray for him not ask questions of why this happened even if we don’t understand. Take a lesson from this and go be NICE to your family.
i apologize. i was misinformed.
Actually cem1957, there has been confusion in the reporting of the 6 in. of water but what it was was there was only 6 in. of the top of the van that was NOT submerged. Also I believe that Brent (the father) did try to get them out first but could not get any of them out at which point he ran to the road to get help.
WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND IS WHY INSTEAD OF STAYING AND TRYING TO GET THEM OUT HE WENT TO GET HELP. THE TIME HE SPENT GETTING HELP HE COULD HAVE SAVED AT LEAST 1 OR 2 OF THEM. BECAUSE OF THAT HE LOST ALL 3. IF IT WERE MY FAMILY I WOULD HAVE DONE EVERYTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO GET THEM OUT MYSELF. AND ONLY 6 INCHES OF WATER,IN A VAN. COME ON!DOESN’T SOUND RIGHT TO ME.
Brent and family,
Words cannot tell how tragic this is, but please know we are crying with you and praying every moment we think of you.
The Rowe Family
This is such a terrible accident. I feel so bad for the friends and family. I have to say something about the comment “God chose to take Patricia and the children”. When I hear this kind of thing it makes me so mad. God does not chose to take people in such a tragic manner. People have a hard time understanding random tragedy like this and many preachers just tell people what they think people want to hear. If we are to believe that God gives us life then takes it away, why do we get so angry at drunk drivers? If a drunk driver takes the lives of a family, isn’t he just doing God’s will? Of course not. Ec. 9:11 says “time and chance” happen to all of us. Read the bible and quit listening to people trying to keep the collection plates full.
I’ve know this family for years. You will find no finer. They were a close knit family.
Our love and prayer go out to them at this time. We will continue to hold Brent in our prayers.
We can’t begin to imagine the suffering he’s enduring, but know God will sustain him!
Linda D.
Patricia’s family, the Millers, are my next door neighbors and there are no finer people ANYWHERE! Brent and Patricia were a beautiful example of what a young Christian family should be. Why our God chose to take Patricia and the children to Heaven and in such a tragic way, we cannot understand but our trust is in Him Who makes no mistakes. I recently heard a minister make the following comment regarding Romans 8:28: “God doesn’t send bad things but if they don’t fit His purpose, He blocks them.“ So, although we can’t see it, He DOES have a divine purpose in allowing this.
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