Healing hearts with hope

Local business owner fights for her own life after losing 5 in family

by Tina Cole-Mullins

In February, Patty Kerton and her family marked the one-year anniversary of the deaths of her oldest daughter and granddaughter. Patty owns Patty’s by the Lake restaurant, inside the Country Corner Store at Portage Lake.

At the time of that tragedy, little did the family know it would be the start of an unimaginable chain of events leading to the loss of five loved ones within the next year.

Now after this most difficult 12 months, Patty finds herself in the hospital undergoing emergency heart surgery.

Losing a child is a parent’s biggest fear, a fear that Patty woke up to Feb. 8, 2022, when she received  a call from the fiancé of her oldest daughter Debra Wilson.  Debra was 36 weeks pregnant and being rushed to the hospital as she struggled to breathe. Unfortunately, Debra and her baby girl Giavanna could not be saved.

Debra was to marry Will Williams that Valentine’s Day. But instead of exchanging vows and hosting a wedding celebration, Williams and Patty were making arrangements for a celebration of life. Debra wore her wedding dress and Giavanna was cradled forever in her mother’s arms, dressed in a white gown for a doll. The grieving groom wore his tuxedo to the funeral service. Mother and baby were laid to rest Feb. 15.

Patty, also a bus driver for Grass Lake Community Schools, had just regained a bit of normalcy in her life when tragedy struck once again, claiming the life of her oldest son Mike Wilson.

During a suspected robbery outside his home in Battle Creek, Mike lost his life on Oct. 25, 2022. In honor of her son, community members showed their love by creating a makeshift memorial of items at the spot where he was killed. 

“Mike was a giver in the Battle Creek community he lived in, hosting an annual Easter egg hunt at a local park there,” Patty said. 

Tragedy surrounding the family became even more horrific at the loss of 15-month-old granddaughter Zariah on Dec. 13, 2022. A trusted friend and babysitter was arrested and faces a charge of open murder in Jackson County in the toddler’s death.

Last Christmas, there were no celebrations for Patty, her family, or her daughter Thera, baby Zariah’s mother. Instead, a shroud of grief cloaked them as they screamed “Justice for Zariah.” As if the family’s losses were not deep enough in 2022, the year 2023 continued to be one of unspeakable tragedy. After saying goodbye to baby Zariah on Jan. 4, only two days later heartbreak struck once again. 

On the afternoon of Jan. 6, 2023, Patty was working at her restaurant, waiting for her daughter Thera to return from delivering thank-you cards to the investigators working on her child’s homicide case. Then Patty heard the sirens.

“I knew as soon as I heard those sirens and looked at my phone that had Thera’s location on it stopped just down the road,” Patty said. “I just knew. I told the store owner, ‘it’s Thera,  I know it is’ and just left.” Thera had died in a car crash on Seymour Road, less than one-eighth of a mile away.

Patty and her husband Dale had a combined five children in their 25 years together, four of which are hers. They now have their grandson, Thera’s son Izaach, to raise. Patty says the boy has been suffering from severe separation anxiety when it comes to being apart from her or her husband.  Working with special services and his school, Patty is addressing his emotional needs best she can with the services available to them.

Patty describes her daughter Ashley as her everything and her rock. But Ashley, too, is suffering from anxiety and wondering if she will be next. Patty also finds the anxiety to be so bad that some days she struggles to work at the restaurant.

“It’s like I’m living in a nightmare, asking  myself when will I wake up!” she says. “But I get up each morning and move forward for Izaach, Ashley, my husband and grandchildren. Our family has been close through all of this.”
It’s a struggle to not only move forward emotionally, but the cost of five deaths has taken a toll on their finances. Then there’s the lost time at work for family members. Patty’s restaurant only has been open as steadily as she can manage it around everything.
“We are drowning financially and I mean sinking,” Patty reveals.

When asked what she would like to see from this story,  Patty shares “I simply want justice for Zariah and Mike. I also ask my customers to please be understanding and patient in the fluctuating hours of operations as I juggle schedules around not only my grief, funeral services, but also court hearings.” 
Unfortunately, the family’s troubles continue. Patty Kerton recently underwent emergency heart surgery, according to daughter Ashley Wilson.

“You can die from a broken heart. It’s literally tearing her heart up. She suffered an aortic dissection,” Ashley said.
According to Ashley, her mother and stepdad had just been to the Blackman Police Station, when her mother told him she didn’t feel right. After another stop, she was rushed by ambulance to the hospital in Jackson and life-flighted to the University of Michigan.

“At this time we ask for your ongoing prayers!” Ashley said.

Author’s note: For updates and more on Patty’s story and #JusticeforZariah, follow me at Tina Cole-Mullins on Facebook. For fundraising locations and donation information, see Wake Up Stockbridge & Surrounding Communities.

Where to find Grief Support

If you are in need of grief counseling or support, there are options available. Contact one of the following:

• Celebrate Recovery (Stockbridge) www.celebraterecovery.com/
• Healing Clinic (Jackson) (Medicare/Medicaid accepted) (734) 219-3314 https://jacksonhealingclinic.com/
• Grieve Well (Ann Arbor) (734) 975-0238 www.grievewell.com/
• Or go to www.griefshare.org/ . Enter your ZIP code and locate a grief support group near you.

Photo Credit: Tina Cole-Mullins
Memorial items of all children and grandchildren, ashes of the last three deaths of which I was present when Patty received them at home by her husband.

Photo provided by : Patty Kerton and her children L-R Ashley (only surviving child), Mike, Patty (mother), Debbie and Thera

Photo Credit: Tina Cole-Mullins
Wearing a t-shirt that reads Justice for Zariah

Photo Credit: Tina Cole-Mullins
Grandson Izaach smiles proudly having just balanced the crosses of mothers and little sister, the family still had to place.

Photo Credit: Tina Cole-Mullins
No prompt given and son Izaach places a kiss on the
cross of his mother then sister.

Photo Credit: Tina Cole-Mullins
Dead flowers memorializing the 1yr anniversary of Debra & baby Giavanna’s death.

Photo Credit: Tina Cole-Mullins
Community grief basket with local business gift cards focused on mind, body and soul from Wake Up Stockbridge & Surrounding Communities

Photo provided by Patty Kerton
Little over a mile from their home and work,
marks the cross of daughter Thera’s death.

Little over a mile from their home opposite direction, marks the cross of grand-daughter Zariah’s death Thera’s daughter.