Belmont restaurant holding fundraiser after local family killed in I-485 crash
Effort to help teen who lost his family in I-485 crash
By Amanda Foster | July 10, 2020 at 5:25 PM EDT - Updated July 10 at 5:51 PM
BELMONT, N.C. (WBTV) - Downtown Belmont restaurant Sammy's Pub announced on Facebook on Friday that there will be a day next week when half of its sales will go to the Obester family.
Belmont mom Andrea, dad Matthew and two young daughters Elizabeth ("Sissy") and Violet were all killed in a crash on I-485 last Friday. They leave behind 14-year-old son Jacob who was not in the car with them.
"It's devastating to hear [about the crash]," Sammy's Pub General Manager Alex East said. "I have two kids at home who are young, so I can't imagine what the family may be going through."
[ 'They truly loved those kids': Belmont family killed in I-485 crash remembered for love of nature, animals ]
Even for those who did not know the family, people in Belmont are feeling a deep connection to this loss.
East said the community is working to give back to the family, including Jacob.
"He lost his parents, he lost his sisters" East said. "So we want to try to do what we can to try to give back to the community, and more specifically to that family to try to help them moving forward"
"We want to do what we can..."
A 14-year-old boy lost his whole family - parents and 2 sisters - in last Friday's I-485 car crash.
Now, Belmont wants to support him - including a restaurant donating HALF its sales one day next week, to help. Details at 5:30 on @WBTV_News pic.twitter.com/bPFc88Ubox
— Amanda Foster WBTV (@AFosterWBTV) July 10, 2020
[ 4 members of Belmont family killed as driver going 100+ mph causes I-485 wrecks, trooper says ]
On Tuesday, the city is allowing Sammy's to block off a portion of a nearby road for an extra safe dining space. Half of the day's sales will go to support the family, including 14-year-old Jacob. They will also take cash donations.
"The police department, other restaurants, Creative Solutions doing party rentals and things of that nature, it just shows how much people really care and want to come together," East said. "It's a very proud thing and a proud moment that we can come together like this and try to help somebody out."
The fundraiser will be happening all day Tuesday at Sammy's, located at 25 S Main St. in Belmont.
Amanda Foster
Amanda Foster is a general assignment reporter who joined WBTV News in August of 2017. She came to us from WJCL in Savannah, Georgia.
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