On Wednesday, "Good Morning America" aired an exclusive interview with the Chapmans at their home in Franklin, Tenn., in which they recounted the day of the tragic accident as well as their path toward healing through faith and hope.
"The girls had been playing on the playground," recalled Chapman's wife, Mary Beth, to GMA's Robin Roberts. She described the May 21 incident that involved their youngest daughter, Maria Sue, and youngest son, Will Franklin, as a "complete accident. "
"And … she (Maria) was, actually excited that he (Will Franklin) was coming home. And he is so great with the girls. They just love him. And she was running to see him and, you know, ran, you know, into the path of the car," she said.
After being struck by the sport utility vehicle in the driveway of the family's Williamson County home, 5-year-old Maria Sue Chapman, the youngest of the six Chapman children and one of three adopted from China, was rushed to a Nashville hospital, where should would later die from her injuries.
In the GMA interview, Steven Curtis Chapman was asked to recall the words he spoke to 17-year-old Will Franklin Chapman as he was getting into his car to go to the hospital.
"I really don't remember this," the Grammy winner said. "It was actually Dave – Uncle Dave that told me. He said, 'You rolled the window down and just, very loudly yelled really... with as much strength as you could muster and just said, 'Will Franklin, your father loves you.'
"I just really had a deep concern in my heart that I wouldn't lose two children as a result of this because I knew what Will was struggling with," Chapman explained.
In GMA's interview with Chapman's three oldest children, Will Franklin described how the love and support from his family helped him get through the difficult time, beginning from immediately after the accident.
"I started running after the accident, you know, and started just running away from the house. And I remember Caleb (Will Franklin's brother) was the first one to run and kind of just jump on me and hold me. And then Shaoey (one of the Chapman's adopted daughters) was right there by him.
"To me, you know, that meant a ton," Will Franklin continued. "I didn't really want to be at the house, I just wanted to be away. And I was just freaking out."
What also helped Will Franklin and the rest of the Chapmans through the past couple of months has been their faith.
"[B]ecause of my faith, I know that she's completely whole and completely OK and I'm going to see her again," said an emotional Mary Beth after confessing how much she wants Maria back.
Still, there are difficult times.
"I've gotten a stronger faith through all this, you know, and more faith through all this," Will Franklin said. "But then there's those days, you know, that just hit you and you're just, like, 'Oh, man, this is just awful.' But – you just gotta continue to choose to live. And that's the faith that, that continues to keep me going, you know."
And with hope the Chapmans are getting through the tough times together.
