Ms. Wilkinson was actively involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren as she lived only 15-20 minutes away and saw and spoke with them daily. To her children, William, Charles, Lori, and Cheryl, she was the parent whose advice, wisdom, and support was sought regularly on everything from how to cook dinner to how to care for a sick child, and gave freely of her time babysitting for her grandchildren. To her grandchildren, she was Nana, the loving grandparent who watched over them as their parents were at work. Her children even joked that she attended more soccer games, baseball games, swim meets, Halloween parties, and school functions for her grandchildren than they as parents did. In short, she gave everything she could to all her family members, unconditionally, routinely and selflessly.

The accident has shattered the lives of her family members as not a day goes by that her family does not think of the grandmother, mother, and friend whose constant love, advice, support, and wisdom are no longer part of their everyday lives. Her children and grandchildren still grieve and experience her loss on a daily basis. In fact, one grandchild still carries a picture of her with him every day, while another grandchild has a picture of her by her bed stand. Her children have also surrounded themselves with her possessions as they are all that remain of her.

Her death is even more senseless in light of Chrysler's early knowledge of the park-to-reverse defect in its vehicles.