WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA: Tammy Parsons, a 53-year-old woman from Williamsburg, Virginia, died in a freak accident when a tire from another car crashed into her windshield on Sunday, October 1.
Parsons, who was driving in the car, was with her two daughters, two grandchildren, and her fiance when the accident occurred. She was pronounced dead on the scene at Interstate 64 following the incident.
What happened to Tammy Parsons?
Parsons was heading towards Busch Gardens’ Howl-O-Scream event when a tire from a 2017 Jeep Renegade going west came loose.
The tire bounced across lanes before smashing into Parsons’ 2005 Ford Explorer around mile marker 241, Virginia State Police said as reported by The Virginian Pilot.
The incident occurred at around 12.22 pm and state police noted that Parsons died at the scene. Her fiance, Joseph Palumbo, and children and grandchildren were not injured, reports said.
Joseph Palumbo said Tammy Parsons gave her life to save everybody
“This is how I’m going to look at it. [She] Gave her life to save everybody that was in that car,” Joseph Palumbo, Parsons' fiance, told WRIC, adding, “We all walked away that day because of her.”
He also credited Parsons' daughter Skyler as, according to Palumbo, if she hadn't responded the way she did, the result may have been much worse.
Palumbo said that when the tire hit, Skyler "jumped up over her mom to help me slam that car into the guardrail so we would stop and not crash and possibly get killed."
“That takes pure strength in my eyes. And you know what? That comes from their mom," he added.
State Police said alcohol and speed were not contributing factors in the crash.
The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending in connection to the driver of the Jeep Renegade whose wheel came loose.
Tammy Parsons was described as a committed mother to her kids
Parsons leaves behind three daughters, Krista LaBenz, Skylar Parsons, and Sarah Parsons, a son Shawn Palumbo, and four grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Major and Margarete Tyrone, nephew, CJ Lyon, and her granddaughter, Kennedy Staines, according to her obituary.
Tammy Parsons was described as a committed mother to her children as, according to Palumbo, “She was 100% committed to her kids, all the way, there was nothing, nothing she wouldn’t do," per WTVR.
"Tammy would light up any room that she walked into and would often make people laugh with her sense of humor," the obituary described her.
It added, "Most of Tammy's friends and family would describe her as a selfless, kind-hearted, and courageous woman with the biggest heart who would always put others before herself."
“She is by far the best, best woman I’ve ever met in my life,” said Palumbo. “I lost a soulmate."
A GoFundMe page had been created for the funeral, set to be held on Sunday, October 8.
