The Broadway theater world is in mourning this week after Tony Award-winning actress Ruthie Ann Miles was critically injured and her 4 year-old daughter Abigail was killed in a horrifying accident on Monday.
Miles, who is seven months pregnant, and her daughter were walking to a church event with family friend Lauren Lew and her 1 year-old son Joshua when a car suddenly ran a red light and plowed into the group. Sadly, Abigail and Joshua were killed while their mothers were each seriously wounded.
On Thursday, it was announced that Miles has been released from the hospital and is turning to her strong Christian faith at this horrifying time. Miraculously, her unborn child was unharmed in the accident.
“Thank you for your prayers over our families and holding us in our pain. We are extremely grateful for your kindness and generosity,” read a statement on the actress’s social media. “Ruthie is now out of ICU and healing, by all accounts it is a miracle our second child is unharmed. Please continue to pray for the Lew and the Blumensteim families as we process the unthinkable and lay our grief in the loving arms of Jesus. Joshua and Abigail are now resting in Heavenly peace and Joy.”
— Ruthie Ann Miles (@RuthieAnnMiles) March 8, 2018
The cause of the crash is still being investigated, as the woman driving the vehicle passed alcohol and drug tests. The female driver has a history of seizures, and it is believed she may have suffered an episode while behind the wheel.
The entire city of New York has been sending their love to Miles, who won a Tony Award in 2015 for her role in “The King and I.”
“Abigail was excited to be a big sister,” a source told PEOPLE. “She was the brightest little spirit. Every time you were around her, your heart couldn’t help but shine. She had the sweetest laugh and the loveliest personality. She was very much like her mother.”
“Ruthie was a wonderful mother. She always put Abigail first and was really dedicated to spending time together,” added the source. “The two had a very tight bond. They were inseparable.”
“Abigail was her life. Abigail was her soul,” said another source, adding that the child, “was the loveliest, happiest and also the most perfect little mix of Ruthie and [her husband] Jonathan [Blumenstein]. She was smart, cheerfully curious about everything. I don’t think I ever saw her without a smile on her face.”
A GoFundMe page that has been set up for Miles’ family has already raised over $200,000.
“Ruthie is so loved by so many people in this community,” said the source. “No one has the words to express how devastating this is. Everyone in this community will do as much as we can. The only thing we can do is just raise more and more money right now. But we will be there for her.”
We can’t even imagine what it is like to be in Ruthie Ann Miles shoes right now. Please pray for both her family and the Lew family during this terrible time!
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