MILWAUKEE — As the Mount Mary University soccer team huddled at midfield Saturday, one number was missing.
Instead of lining up for kickoff, freshman Eh Moo Gay Paw’s No. 2 jersey was carried by her captains.
Eh Moo is recovering in the hospital after a crash Tuesday night near 35th and Vliet involving a stolen car fleeing Milwaukee police.
The collision killed her mother, Pler Moo, and her siblings, Karlah Kri and Moo Nay.
Before the match, the Blue Angels held a moment of silence.
“Even now I still can’t believe it,” said family friend Lay Htoo, who attended the game. “They are family. We’ve grown up together since middle school, when we first arrived in America. It’s good to see support — from the school and soccer team.”
Eh Moo’s family arrived in Milwaukee as refugees.
More than 100 people attended a vigil on Wednesday near the crash site, many from the same refugee community as the victims. Friends and community members described them as close-knit, loving, and full of energy.
“Sweetest family you could possibly know,” Htoo said. “Moo Moo was the funniest person. Whenever you saw him, he’d put a smile on your face.”
The tragedy has weighed heavily on Eh Moo’s teammates as well.
“My daughter came home and talked to me about it. She was really down, very sad,” said Mamadee Konneh, a parent of one of the players.
The stolen vehicle was fleeing police when it struck the family's car as they crossed the intersection.
“As a parent, I feel very sad because my daughter is in a vehicle coming to school every day. Seeing that kind of accident really makes me think — hopefully she’ll be coming home safe.”
Players said Eh Moo’s absence was felt in every huddle, every kick, and every heart.
“They are with her spiritually, and she is in their hearts,” Konneh said. “I hope other people can see this and think of other people’s lives, not just their own.”
Mount Mary University released a statement Friday expressing deep sorrow and asking for privacy for the family. A campus prayer service was held on Thursday, where teammates, coaches, faculty, and staff gathered in solidarity.
“Our first priority is the well-being of our students,” President Isabelle Cherney said. “We hold her and her family in prayer and will surround her with care, compassion, and the resources she needs.”
At Saturday’s game, QR codes at the field directed fans to a GoFundMe page supporting the family.
A 19-year-old passenger in the fleeing car is facing multiple felony charges following the crash. Two people from the stolen vehicle were also injured.
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