CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After suffering a horrific tragedy, a Clarksville mom never expected to find so much comfort in the kindness of total strangers. People emerged not looking for any credit. Today, someone is again honoring a life in a profound way.
"It's a rock garden," said Christina Baker, sitting in a quiet space in front of her home. "It's just a place of peace out here for us. There is a big angel that we colored the color purple."
There's a reason purple always reminds mom Christina of her baby, Madi. Purple was the color of her baby blanket.
"She clung to the color purple," Christina smiled. "She's just constantly running through my mind, and I constantly play the happy memories, like that video of her walking."
In was August 2020, Madi had that baby blanket with her when Christina and her fiance were driving down Highway 25 near Cottontown. Sumner County Sheriff's Officials say a car pulled around their SUV in a no passing zone and cut them off, hitting the front of their vehicle. The SUV with Christina and Madi inside went airborne and landed in a pond upside down, submerged in water. Michaela Morales was arrested and charged with DUI 2nd, leaving the scene of an accident, aggravated assault X3, implied consent and vehicular assault.
After days on a ventilator, Christina was told Madi wouldn't make it.
It was then Christina began to see how deep the kindness of strangers can be. Someone who we do not know to this day went into that pond, into that submerged SUV and brought out Madi's baby blanket.
"I appreciate them every day," said Christina. "I don't go anywhere without this blanket. If it wasn't for them, I may have never seen it again."
Christina has learned purple is the color of drowning awareness. She is now again witnessing the kindness of strangers. Someone who doesn't want to be named has reached out, offering to plant a tree at the pond in Madi's memory alongside a plaque.
"It's crazy to think, 'you don't know me. You don't know my kid. Two, almost three years later, you still remember us and our names,'" said Christina. "I have had my faith in humanity restored for sure."
Christina's youngest child, Magnolia, was only a month old when sister Madi died.
"She talks about her," Christina said. "She sees certain pictures and she goes, 'my baby, my baby.' She calls Madi her baby."
Christina said she'll see to it Magnolia will always know about her sister. The tree and plaque are grand reminders.
"There's still a lot of good people out there, a lot of good people," said Christina.
