Mother Wears Daughter's Prom Tiara at Emotional Vigil Following Fatal Crash
A grieving Georgia mother wore the very crown her daughter had worn less than a week earlier when the teenager was tragically killed in a car accident on her way home from her senior prom. Patience Price, an 18-year-old from Douglasville, died on Saturday after being ejected from the passenger seat of a Mercedes when she forgot to wear a seatbelt while returning from her high school prom celebration.
Details of the Tragic Accident
The fatal crash occurred around 3:30am on Saturday as the group was returning from their prom, which had been held at the Delta Flight Museum. The unnamed driver made a sharp turn on Chapel Hill Road, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway, strike an embankment, become airborne, and overturn multiple times according to a police report obtained by the Daily Mail.
Price was thrown from the vehicle by the force of the crash and was declared dead at the scene by Georgia State Patrol officers. Two other teens survived the accident - the driver, who police said did not appear to be impaired, sustained minor injuries, while a back-seat passenger was hospitalized with serious injuries.
Community Gathers for Candlelight Vigil
Kimberly Jones, Price's mother, spoke at a Tuesday candlelight vigil in Hunter Memorial Park while wearing the tiara her daughter had worn with her prom dress just days prior. Dozens gathered dressed in blue and released blue heart balloons in memory of the high schooler.
'Mistakes happen,' Jones told the large crowd. 'Patience would not, she would not want me to hold a grudge. Matter of fact, Patience would tell me, "Momma, forgive. Momma, love." I'm going to do exactly what she would want.'
Emotional Moments at the Vigil
The driver came forward from the crowd during the vigil and said, 'I just wanted to send my condolences to everyone and my apologies, too,' according to WSB-TV. While the pastor provided support, Price's mother embraced the driver in a moment of forgiveness.
Also in attendance were Price's two surviving friends, who were visibly distraught, with one brought to tears as a pastor prayed over her. The second passenger, who had been in the backseat during the impact, attended the vigil on crutches following her hospital release, though she could not speak through her tears.
Remembering Patience Price
The 'promising' Chapel Hill High School student had graduated early due to outstanding grades but never got to receive her diploma. Her heartbroken friend, Jazzlyn Scott, told WSB-TV that the 18-year-old had 'so much to live for' and 'just so much love.'
'She didn't even get to walk the stage,' the teen said, adding that residents were well aware of how dangerous the road where Price died can be, describing it as a 'very sharp turn' and noting that people need to 'slow down' when driving there.
Family's Response and Fundraising Efforts
Jones launched a GoFundMe to support the family as they navigate planning a funeral following the tragic loss of their daughter, who they described as a 'Fire Cracker.' The fundraising page paid tribute to Price, remembering her as 'thoughtful' and 'bright.'
'With her warm spirit and beautiful smile, she had a gentle way of brightening any room she entered,' it read. 'She loved her family deeply and stood by them with a quiet strength that meant so much to us all.'
Her family revealed that Price had previously faced kidney complications and remembered how she confronted those challenges with 'courage and grace.' The money donated will be used to cover funeral expenses to honor the teen, with the GoFundMe reaching $16,360 of its $20,000 target as of Wednesday afternoon.
Crash Site Transformed into Memorial
Since the accident, the crash site has been transformed into a memorial adorned with flowers and stuffed animals in Price's honor. An abandoned shoe belonging to the backseat passenger was left at the scene, serving as a poignant reminder of the tragedy.
Ronald Price, Price's father, echoed his wife's words at the vigil, stating, 'I know God doesn't make mistakes. So, that fulfills my heart.' Jones, her face streaked with tears, told the crowd that she hoped they would continue to show up, saying they were all an extension of her daughter, known to loved ones as 'PayPay.'
'I would pray that every child who came out here tonight would continue to stay in touch with me,' the mother said. 'I get to live, I get to continue to have PayPay live, through them.' Georgia State Patrol Troopers are still investigating the deadly accident.
