Man who lost family in Buckman wreck offers appreciation for support

The Jacksonville Navy corpsman who lost his family Monday in a fiery wreck on the Buckman Bridge used his Facebook page Wednesday to offer his appreciation to relatives in Arkansas and others aware of the tragedy for their support.

Dexter Culclager's thanks came as hundreds of online donations, funneled through a fundraising website link set up by Culclager's church, poured in to a memorial fund designed to help him with funeral and travel costs for the burials in Arkansas. As of 5:30 p.m., over $16,000 had been raised on www.gofundme.com/Culclager. A goal of $5,000 was set.

"I just want to say thank you to everyone who is supporting me right now in the loss of my family," Culclager, 25, wrote on his Facebook page. "I never would have thought that anything like this would happen to us.

"I am being strong as I can for everyone in the family and I'm working as fast as I can to bring them home to you guys. Thank you all for the love and support and we will all see u soon!!!"

The Florida Highway Patrol Monday identified the victims as driver Yakel Culclager, 36, Trequis Woods-Sims, 18, Tradesia Woods-Sims, 17, and Trevieon Woods-Franklin, 6.

Troopers said the mother and her three children died when their vehicle broke down, then erupted into flames after being hit by a tractor-trailer that first crashed into a vehicle behind them. The investigation into the wreck is expected to take more than a month, police said.

Culclager, who works at Jacksonville Naval Hospital, could not be reached to comment Wednesday. He's previously declined to comment.

Naval Hospital spokeswoman Tami Begasse said some of his family members were to arrive Wednesday from Arkansas as funeral arrangements are made.

Gift cards along with the online donations were being collected to help Culclager pay for travel expenses and other costs for the funeral, according the Facebook page for his church, Trinity Baptist Church at Oakleaf. Specifics of the funeral have not been announced.

Pastor Daniel Riddick wrote that he and another pastor met with Culclager "and assured him that hundreds, maybe thousands of people were praying for him."

"Many of you, I know, are ready to respond with help in any way you can. We are working with Dexter to come alongside him in a way that is most helpful with his immediate needs."

Riddick suggested ways people could help would be to pray, bring a sympathy card to the church Sunday and contribute to travel expenses and miscellaneous costs Culclager will have regarding his trip and stay in Arkansas.

"We will continue to lift up Dexter and the extended relationships and family inside and outside of our church," Riddick wrote. "There is so much grief, and God's comfort is desperately needed."

He added: "Every prayer sent, card written or gift card given is a small way to show the love of Jesus to a hurting family."

The fundraising website was set up by Riddick on Tuesday. Donations of $5 to more than $100 were left by people from all over the country.

"My family and I will continue to pray for everyone. I am so very sorry for your loss," wrote Traci Nottenkamper, who contributed $20. "If any services are needed, we will be happy to volunteer ... cooking, housework, yard(work), whatever."

Riddick expressed his appreciation to those who were contributing to the site. "The generosity of people from all over this country is amazing. We can't say 'thank you' enough," Riddick wrote on the website.