The “godfather of gospel,” Rev. Timothy Wright, was critically injured and his wife and grandson were killed this weekend when their vehicle was hit head-on by driver going the wrong way on a Pennsylvania interstate.
Rev. Wright is pastor at Grace Tabernacle Christian Center in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York and a Grammy-nominated music artist with more than a dozen albums to his credit. He received a Grammy nomination in 1995 for best traditional soul gospel album for his album, Come Thou Almighty King. His latest project, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, was released in 2007. Betty and Rev. Wright were nominated for a 2008 Stellar Award for Song of the Year for the album’s title cut.
The Wrights were on their way home to Roosevelt, Long Island on Friday after attending a church conference in Detroit, Michigan. The couple was married 37 years and has five sons.
The accident occurred on Interstate 80 in Greene Township, Pennyslvania. Betty Wright was killed in the crash and the couple’s 14-year-old grandson, D.J., died at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville on Saturday.
The Associated Press reports that Rev. Wright remains in the hospital in critical condition, but is conscious, according to church congregants.
According to published reports, the wrong-way driver, John Pick, 44, of Lewisburg, Pa., was also killed in the head-on collision. The crash is under investigation.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Wright family and the congregation at Grace Tabernacle Christian Center, as well as the Pick family and everyone affected by the crash.
To learn more about Rev. Timothy Wright, visit his website.
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