In a tragic turn of events that has deeply affected the community and her workplace, a co-CEO 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 one day before her baby shower celebration.
That fateful Saturday, Panama City Police were called to the accident scene 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 police investigations suggest that Clark, who was driving north, did not yield in time to avoid the transport van in front of her, she said. WALB.
Despite the quick response of emergency services, Clark succumbed to his injuries. Seven other people were also injured in the collision, including three occupants of the transport vehicle, although, fortunately, their lives were not in danger. Krystal Apke, marketing director at the Bainbridge Chick-fil-A where Clark worked, revealed the heartbreaking detail that Clark was seven months pregnant with her son, whom she had already named Asher Blaze. Tragically, the fetus also died in the accident.
The team at Chick-fil-A in Bainbridge, where Clark had been a valued member since opening four years earlier, had been eagerly awaiting the celebration of Clark’s new addition to their family at a baby shower planned for the following Sunday. Apke expressed the deep pain the entire team feels, not only for the loss of a dear colleague and friend, but also for the life they could never welcome into the world.
In the wake of this sad event, Chick-fil-A’s Bainbridge location made the decision to temporarily close its doors on Saturday as a show of respect and mourning for Clark. The restaurant has since resumed operations, but Clark’s loss, which leaves behind another son and her 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 profound impact an individual can have on a community and workplace.