Family remembers 8-year-old girl, grandfather killed in crash: ‘They’re together forever’

CANAL WINCHESTER, Ohio (WSYX) – An Ohio woman is now without her young daughter and father after the two were killed in a crash.

Eight-year-old Iyoki Robinson and her 63-year-old grandfather, Wayne Smith, were killed last week in a car crash in Canal Winchester.

“They’re together forever,” Iyoki’s mother and Smith’s daughter could be heard saying at a recent balloon release honoring the two.

The girl and her grandfather were described as an inseparable pair.

“Everywhere he was, she was right there with them,” Ella White, Smith’s sister-in-law, said.

Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said another driver blew through a stop sign and struck Smith’s car with Iyoki and his wife inside.

“I was at work when I got the call from mom,” Iyoki’s aunt, Brittany Wade, said. “It really brought me to my knees. I really didn’t even understand at first. I had to put it in thought and go, ‘OK, this can’t be it.’”

As the pain of reality sinks in, Iyoki’s aunt says they’re leaning on each other.

“To lose, like I said, a child, to lose a father in the same moment, is just something you don’t want to wish on anyone,” Wade added.

Wade said they’ll always remember Iyoki’s smile and energy.

“She’s a beautiful bright light in our world and she’ll always be that, just being a young kid,” Wade remembered. “She was just getting into softball, getting her mitt and ball, and stuff like that. She had just gotten a new bat and gloves literally on Sunday, on Easter Sunday.”

While she can’t play here with them, Iyoki’s grandfather’s sister finds comfort in knowing the two are together.

“They were inseparable, those two,” White said. “So, when this happened, the only thing I could think of was maybe they couldn’t be here without each other. So, that’s probably why.”

Smith’s wife survived the crash but remains hospitalized.

The family launched a GoFundMe to help with expenses.

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