Michigan family on vacation killed by wrong way driver laid to rest

DEARBORN, Mich. (FOX 2) - The five members of a Michigan family who were killed over the weekend by an alleged drunk driver in Kentucky were all laid to rest Tuesday in Westland.

The Abbas family, 42-year-old Issam (Sam) Abbas, 38-year-old Rima, , 14-year-old Ali, 13-year-old Isabella and 7-year-old Giselle, were all killed early Sunday morning in Lexington, Kentucky on I-75 by a wrong-way driver.

They were all killed on their way home to Northville on a family vacation. 

During Tuesday's service at the Islamic Memorial Gardens in Westland, family and friends found it difficult to understand why they were taken. William Mirza, a cousin, read a poem written by Ali. 

"I am athletic and geeky. I wonder how the world came to be," it read in part. 

Five coffins held their remains inside the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn. The loss of Sam, a lawyer and realtor, and 38-year-old Rima, a Beaumont doctor, and their kids was painfully obvious as roughly 2,500 showed up to remember the family. 

Following the service, five hearses took the Abbas family to their final resting place, at the Islamic memorial gardens, in nearby Westland.

"This is a message from the family that we must the epidemic of drinking and driving in this country," said family spokesperson Rana Elmir.

Toxicology reports are not in yet, but it appears Joey Bail was drunk when he drove onto an exit ramp on I-75 in Kentucy. About six miles later, he collided head on with the Abbas family. The Abbas family and Baily were all killed instantly. 

The family is requesting that any donations people wish to make be made to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). They also say there is no GoFundMe account set up and warn it could be people trying to make money off their tragedy.

There will be a traditional Muslim prayer reading at 6:30 Thursday night at the Islamic Center.