The Bigfork community supports young family after fatal car accident

BIGFORK – On Nov. 25, a family in Bigfork changed forever when a crash occurred on Highway 35.

Bigfork residents Walter and his wife Sol were driving home from work when a car crossed the center lane and hit them head-on.

Sol died at the scene, while Walter suffered traumatic injuries.

“You know, Sol tragically died immediately at the scene, and Walter definitely had someone looking over his shoulder because he wasn’t supposed to be here with us,” said Joe Callahan, owner of The Eatery in Bigfork.

Sol, a mother of three, was just 32 years old when she was tragically killed.

She had just moved with her children from Venezuela to Bigfork six weeks ago to start a new life in Montana with her husband, Walter.

“Walter had the opportunity to come to this country first and make preparations for him and his family, and Sol came after, so Sol has been in the process of entering from Venezuela for about eight months,” Callahan said.

Walter works for Callahan at his restaurant The Eatery in Bigfork.

Sol had just started professional training with Callahan.

“Just starting out and she was just figuring things out, just trying to find her way in this country,” Callahan said. “And you know, in Montana it’s not that easy to get into the winter – so we’ve been working on it, they just started getting their jackets and things like that.”

Callahan said Walter suffered a broken elbow, broken foot, dislocated hip and other injuries in the accident.

He is recovering at Logan Health in Kalispell and has a long road of rehabilitation ahead of him.

“The children will now need additional help as they have virtually no parents to help them at the moment.”

Callahan has created a fundraiser for Walter and his family to help with medical bills and family expenses while Walter’s three children, ages 13, 9 and 3, adjust to their new life.

“One more thing is the kids are going to need warm clothes, they have some, but some snow clothes would be nice, shoes for sure,” Callahan said.

Callahan said donations can be dropped off at The Eatery in Bigfork, 7950 Highway 35.

He is grateful for the community support the family has already received, including some Christmas presents for the children.

“Bigfork is its own little bubble, so those who live here have seen it, those who have been here have seen it, that we are a very special community that most people don’t have, and I’m beyond grateful for that “,” he said.

MTN News reached out to the Montana Highway Patrol to determine whether alcohol and speed were factors in the crash and at the time of news we have not received a response.

A GoFundMe page can be found here.