Taylor Willis Obituary, Death; – Six individuals lost their lives in a tragic accident on a North Carolina highway this past weekend.
According to state troopers, two vehicles were involved in a collision on Saturday on I-485 in west Charlotte, close to the airport exit. Relatives report that five of the deceased were family members, including three young children, who were en route to the Carowinds amusement park.
April Willis, a mother, grandmother, and aunt to the victims, expressed her feelings, stating, “I’m feeling numb, angry, emotional. I don’t know which way to turn.”
Willis suffered the loss of her daughter, Taylor Willis, along with her 8-year-old nephew and two young grandchildren. “I’m just going to miss them altogether,” she lamented. “[My grandchildren] were only 1 and 3. Now they don’t have a life to live.” Additionally, Taylor Willis’s boyfriend, Jake Holmes, also perished in the incident.
Troopers reported that a 16-year-old boy struck the family’s van, leading to a collision with a parked tractor-trailer on the highway’s shoulder. The teenage driver, Logan Sauer, was also pronounced dead at the scene.
As April Willis and her family grieve, they are dedicating their time at the hospital with another daughter, 16-year-old Katelynn, who sustained a broken back and collarbone in the crash and is the sole survivor from the two vehicles.
Katelynn’s family acknowledges a stranger, Laylani Collins, for her role in saving her life, noting that Collins rushed from her car to assist Katelynn before first responders arrived. “The girl that helped my sister is actually a blessing,” remarked Payton Willis, Katelynn’s sister.
Collins expressed her desire to help others in similar situations, stating, “I would want someone to do the same for my family.” “[Katelynn] started freaking out,” she recounted. “She’s like, ‘I’m claustrophobic, I don’t like this.’ I’m like, ‘I understand, I’m scared just like you’re scared, but just relax, I’m going to help you as much as I can.'”
April Willis requests prayers as she strives to navigate life one day at a time, deeply missing the love her family shared. “Taylor was wonderful for her kids,” Willis reflected.
