A popular high school teenager was killed when a drunk driver smashed into her grandparents car on Thanksgiving.
Rhyan Moody was being dropped off by her grandparents after enjoying dinner at their Lake Worth, Texas, home on Thursday when a speeding car T-boned them doing 68mph, in a 40mph zone.
The 14-year-old died almost instantly from blunt force head trauma, caused by the horrific crash, her autopsy revealed.
Rhyan Moody (pictured) was killed when a drunk driver smashed into her grandparents car on Thanksgiving
Rhyan (left and right) was a popular freshman and cheerleader at Colleyville Heritage High School
Her grandparents suffered several broken bones and other injuries but survived.
Lake Worth Police Department has not released an official report on the crash or whether it has made any arrests, at this time.
Her family have been left heartbroken by Rhyan’s loss.
‘She was truly an outstanding young woman,’ 53-year-old Gaines Johnson, her stepfather, told the Star Telegram.
The crash occurred in the 5900 block of Azle Avenue near the eastbound intersection of Interstate 820 (pictured)
‘She was the nicest, most kind-hearted person to her family, friends and anyone who needed help,’ said Johnson. ‘This wasn’t an accident. It was just a senseless, reckless and selfish act (by the other driver).’
Rhyan was a popular freshman and cheerleader at Colleyville Heritage High School where her friends are mourning the teen. The school has made counselors available for students in the wake of the tragedy.
Colleyville Heritage High School principal, Dr. Lance Groppel, emailed students’ parents on Friday with ‘an incredibly heavy heart’ to let them know that Rhyan had died.
‘This is something that can be difficult for young people to process, so please take the time to talk with your student about this tragedy. As one parent to another, please take this opportunity to hug your children a little tighter. I know I certainly will.’
Online, friends and family have been paying tribute to the promising young student.
‘She was truly an outstanding young woman,’ said 53-year-old Gaines Johnson, her stepfather (pictured)
On Saturday night, nearly 1,000 people turned up for a vigil held in Rhyan’s memory at a local church
Her grandparents suffered several broken bones and other injuries but survived
Grieving friends and family listened to tributes to the teenager
Salina Friend, who described Rhyan as being ‘like a daughter to me’, said her family was ‘devasted, heartbroken, and cannot fathom the pain her family is feeling.
‘Please keep the Moody/Penrod family in your prayers. Please pray for our community, the CHHS students, and for our family.(sic)’
Ky Mellado wrote: ‘Feel SOOO Blessed to Have All The Memories we’ve made Growing Up. You Taught Me how to Be Fair, how to Laugh No Matter how Bad Some Situations or Problems Can Be. You Grew into Such a Beautiful Woman but Every time I See a Photo of You I Still Always See The Same Compassionate, LightHearted, Pure & Adorable Spark that Made You My Beloved RhyRhy..(sic)’
Rhyan’s cousin Tiffanie Ruhmann also urged anyone drinking and driving to reconsider.
She said that, ‘because of that drunk driver, her family my family and her friends or me will only have the sweet sweet memory’s of her and live in grief forever so please next time you go out to have some drinks with your friends or party or whatever Please remember Rhyan my 14 year old cousin before you drive home please make the right decision. (sic)’
Classmates at Colleyville Heritage High School (pictured) are mourning the teen
Friends and family have been paying tribute to the promising young student whose life was snatched away
Other’s have been using Rhyan’s story as a message to stop drinking and driving
On Saturday night, nearly 1,000 people turned up for a vigil held in Rhyan’s memory at a local church, CBS reported.
Johnson said he hoped the service could begin the healing process.
‘We had almost 1,000 people turn out for the vigil,’ said Johnson. ‘We just wanted to help her friends and others parents (at the high school and cheerleading team) who may have been wondering what happened get some closure. It will take some time to heal, but for us as a family we’ll never get over it. There will always be a hole.’
A funeral a service will be held at Greenwood Funeral Homes and Cremation in Fort Worth at 11am Tuesday and she will be buried at the Compass Church in Colleyville.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help cover funeral costs and the family are planning to work with the Colleyville Heritage High School to establish a non-profit organization and scholarship fund in her honor.