In a tragic turn of events that has deeply affected the community and her workplace, a co-general manager of Chick-fil-A, who was also pregnant, lost her life in a devastating car collision. The incident occurred at the intersection of Highway 231 and Highway 390 in Panama City, just a day before she was due to be celebrated at her baby shower.
On that fateful Saturday, Panama City Police were called to the scene of the accident where 33-year-old Kristen Brooke Clark’s vehicle had collided with a prisoner transport van operated by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Initial investigations by the police suggest that Clark, who was driving north, did not yield in time to avoid the transport van ahead of her she told WALB.
Despite the swift response from emergency services, Clark succumbed to her injuries. The collision also resulted in injuries to seven other individuals, including three prisoners from the transport van, though fortunately, these were not life-threatening. Krystal Apke, the Marketing Director at the Bainbridge Chick-fil-A where Clark was employed, revealed the heartbreaking detail that Clark was seven months pregnant with her son, whom she had already named Asher Blaze. Tragically, the unborn child also perished in the accident.
The Chick-fil-A team in Bainbridge, where Clark had been a valued member since its opening four years prior, had been eagerly anticipating the celebration of Clark’s new addition to her family at a baby shower planned for the following Sunday. Apke expressed the profound grief felt by the entire team, not just over the loss of a cherished colleague and friend but also for the life that they would never get to welcome into the world.
In the aftermath of this sorrowful event, the Chick-fil-A location in Bainbridge made the decision to temporarily close its doors on Saturday as a mark of respect and mourning for Clark. The restaurant has since resumed operations, but the loss of Clark, who leaves behind another son and her extended family at Chick-fil-A, continues to weigh heavily on the hearts of those who knew her. This incident serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the deep impact one individual can have on a community and workplace.
