Richard Linder, right, and his daughter Lexus, pictured center, present Tonya Reynolds of the Birth to 3 Program at Franklin Preschool, (far left) with a thank you gift for her assistance in helping Lexus and her two young sons following a car accident. The presentation was made during the May 10, 2022 school board meeting.
Below is a Facebook post that Mr. Linder wanted us to share with the district:
Richard Linder II May 5 at 11:52 PM
"A story about an amazing person
Tonya Titus Reynolds
This is a true situation that a Mattoon Community District 2 teacher for the birth through age 3 program that Tonya Titus Reynolds was a guardian angel for my daughter Lexus and her two sons Rowan and Vincent during a horrible car accident. My name is Richard Linder and I was standing at the gas pumps getting gas at Hucks in Mattoon and I heard this horrible load crash and then I looked up and saw Lexus car sliding on the side in the middle of the road. At the moment I didn't recognize Lexus car and I even took the picture of her car on the road and later found out I was taking a picture of my two wonderful grandsons. Thanks to a teacher for birth through 3 program her name is Tonya Titus Reynolds. she was like a guardian angel that saw these two little boys crying and hurt being pulled from the wreck. She then recognized them immediately and scooped them up and took them to the ambulance and checking them out and consoling them and waiting on their mommy being pulled from the wreck once she had them in the ambulance. MrsTonya immediately called Franklin preschool because she knew that they had my number as a person to contact in emergencies and that I would be close and my daughter and grandsons needed me. The nice secretary from Franklin had called me and notified me that it was Lexus and the boys were in that horrible wreck at that intersection. the very one I had witnessed..... my heart sank to the bottom of my stomach and I couldn't get to them fast enough..but I finally did before the ambulance left the scene... I just want to thank this wonderful amazing awesome woman and a friend for life she deserves some recognition from the community for her bravery and compassion for the wellbeing of the children in this community 
A Great Big Thank you from me and my family you are amazing Tonya Titus Reynolds thank you 
ps Lexus and the boys are a little sore and shook up but will be ok. Thank you sincerely Richard Linder 
just to let you know how special MrsTonya is she have already arranged to get two new car sets for the boys before Lexus and the boys were discharge from the ER. My gratitude for her kindness is astonishing..."