DENVER (KDVR) — A Colorado family of five is lucky to be alive after being in a serious crash on Labor Day near Seattle.

The Mori family was driving to the Seattle airport Monday morning for their flight back to Colorado when a suspected drunk driver hit their car head-on.

The father, Yoichi, was driving, while the mother Tomo was in the front seat. Their three children — Sambi, Inori and the youngest, Kishin — were asleep in the back seat.

“He sees bright lights, like right in front of him, and it was a car that was driving the wrong direction on I-5 and the car hit us, mainly half of our car, the passenger’s side. That was the first shock,” daughter Sambi said, recalling the crash.

A family of five in a group portrait
The Mori family (Courtesy of Yoichi Mori)

The driver who initially hit them was going the wrong way down Interstate 5. A semi-truck behind them tapped the car but drove into the wall to avoid further damage.

The father and his daughters, Sambi and Inori, were the least injured, but all were sent to the hospital for injuries.

“We have a lot of soreness. It’s kind of painful to walk around, get up or sit down or turn over in our beds,” Inori said. “I just have a full body whiplash. Everything — my neck, chest — everything hurts,” Sambi said.

A destroyed SUV next to a semi truck, first responders and police vehicles with debris littering the interstate
The Mori family of Colorado was hit by a suspected drunk driver while traveling near Seattle. (FOX13 Seattle)

Mother, brother in the hospital after crash

Meanwhile, their mother and little brother are still in the hospital, recovering from multiple surgeries. Kishin underwent immediate surgery to repair his stomach, intestines and lung. He also has a broken leg and a broken shoulder.

Tomo was also significantly hurt and went into surgery directly after the crash for internal damage to her intestines. She also has damage to her spinal cord, according to the family. Both remain in the hospital.

15-year-old Kishin Mori in the hospital (Credit: Inori Mori)
Tomo Mori in the hospital (Credit: Inori Mori)

Yoichi and Tomo are the founders of Japanese Hope Mountain Family Church in Englewood. The family had left town to visit their sister church, Lynnwood Japanese Family Church, located in Edmonds, Washington.

A church family member set up a GoFundMe to help with medical expenses, a new car and whatever else may come up.

Part of their faith is to forgive, something they’re holding true to the woman who was at fault for this crash.

“The first thing that anyone of our family would tell her is that we hope she gets better and that she recovers fully, because we’re Christians and we believe God saved us, and this is a miraculous way,” daughter Inori said.