GREENFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - A memorial continues to grow in Greenfield for a family of four who died in a bus crash in Virginia.

The Doncev family was driving to a family wedding in South Carolina on Friday when a bus allegedly failed to slow down for a work zone and caused a chain-reaction crash.

Dmitri Doncev, 45, Ecaterina Doncev, 44, Emily Doncev, 14 and 7-year-old Mark Doncev all died as a result. A woman from Worcester also died.

At the Doncev’s family house, a memorial is on display. Neighbors were unable to put their grief into words but expressed how heartbroken the community is that the kind and caring Doncev family is now gone.

Dmitri and Ecaterina immigrated to the United States in 2008 and had made Greenfield their home for years.

Dmitri worked as a registered nurse at Holyoke Medical Center, devoting his life to caring for others. The couple’s children attended Providence Christian Academy who released the following statement:

“The Doncev family was a cherished part of our school community and their loss is being felt deeply by our students, families, faculty, and staff.”

A GoFundMe created for funeral expenses has far surpassed its goal. The family friend who organized it wrote, “though their time with us was far too short, the legacy of kindness, faith, perseverance, and love that they leave behind will continue to inspire all who knew them.”

Copyright 2026 Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.