Family marks an emotional Mother's Day following deadly Coon Rapids crash

(KMSP) - It was a somber Mother’s Day weekend for the family of a mother of three.

Last weekend Chanda Nordstrom was killed when the car she was riding in crashed. Anthony Foley, Nordstrom’s ex-husband and the father of two of her children, said those children, a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old, are dealing with things the best they can. 

As for Foley, he’s been dealing with a range of emotions since Nordstrom died last weekend. 

“Friday, I picked them up,” Foley said. “Saturday, I brought Braden to his baseball game. We had a great day. Sunday, I got a knock on the door from the officer and he explained to me what happened.” 

The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office said Nordstrom was a passenger in a vehicle that sped excessively around a curve the night of May 5. The car crashed into a pole on Northdale Boulevard near the Northstar Commuter Rail Station in Coon Rapids. 

Witnesses said Nordstrom was ejected from the vehicle. They tried to pull the driver, Nikolus Hildreth, from the car before it caught fire. 

Nordstrom was laid to rest on Friday. 

Mother’s Day came as a reminder that Foley has been left to raise their children alone. 

“It’s difficult when you always rely on each other, you know, for the communication to make sure you’re both making the right decisions by them—for baseball, for school,” he said. 

Foley said he has to be strong for Braden, 7, and Eli, 4. 

“When he woke up, he said he forgot about the thing that happened dad,” Foley said. “All I could do is just tell them I love them and everything’s going to be okay and mommy’s in heaven.” 

A GoFundMe page was set up to help the family with expenses. Nordstrom also leaves behind an adult son, Kenneth. 

Hildreth, the driver of the car, who also died in the crash, had prior convictions for DWI and excessive speed.