KALAMAZOO, MI -- The story of a young mother whose own mom and fiance were killed in a car crash while she was in labor has spread far and wide, and people want to help.

As of Thursday morning, nearly 500 people had donated more than $15,000 to a GoFundMe account to benefit Crystal Matrau-Belt and her son, Jeremiah James Matrau-Skokan. The account had been open for less than two days.

The donations included $110 from a man who said his co-workers had raised the money for he and his wife, who are about to have their first child.

"You and your child will need it more than us," Quyen Le wrote.

Matrau-Belt found out three hours after giving birth to her son, Saturday, Dec. 12, that her fiance, Emil Skokan III, 34, and her mother, Peggy Nichols, 53, were killed on their way to Bronson Methodist Hospital for the delivery.

Police say Skokan was driving with Nichols in the passenger seat just before 4 p.m. Saturday when he lost control of the car on a stretch of South 26th Street near Cork Street in Comstock Township. The car hit a tree, killing Skokan and Nichols.

In addition to the GoFundMe account, a group of Kalamazoo-area women is taking up a collection of diapers, wipes, hygiene essentials, baby necessities and gift cards for Matrau-Belt to help her ease into the transition of motherhood as she grieves for her loved ones.

The women, from the Facebook group "Kalamazoo Area Online Yard Sales," have been arranging times to pick up donations from local families for Matrau-Belt and Jeremiah, group organizer Cheryl Robinson said.

Anyone willing to donate through Robinson's group can email Robinson at robinson2002@live.com, send her a message on Facebook or join her Facebook group.

Robinson said the group is planning a large meetup where they will accept donations for Matrau-Belt from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, in the parking lot of Meijer, 5121 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage.

Emily Monacelli is a reporter for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact her at emonacel@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter.