A Texas mother, Tayler Ross, 31, has died after being struck by a car while assisting a crash victim on the roadside. According to Houston police, Ross had stepped out of a Ford Explorer around 1:20 a.m. on March 29 to help after a Ford Focus was rear-ended.
As she checked on the victim, a Mitsubishi Mirage swerved to avoid a collision but hit both the Focus and Ross, as reported by PEOPLE.
Paramedics pronounced both Ross and Mirtha Rodriguez Orgales Sai, the driver of the Ford Focus, dead at the scene of the tragic roadside incident in Houston.
Police say the Focus was first rear-ended by an unidentified vehicle whose driver fled without offering help. Authorities are still investigating and have yet to provide further details.
A GoFundMe has been set up in Ross’s honor, with the campaign organizer Tiffany Henderson writing, “Tayler’s courage in the face of danger speaks to the heart of who she was: a loving mother, daughter, sister, and friend.”
The description continued, “Tayler’s heroic actions were a testament to her unwavering kindness and willingness to put others before herself. She leaves behind her precious 6-year-old daughter, who will now grow up without the guidance and love of her extraordinary mother.”
The fundraiser will support Ross’s daughter “as she navigates this difficult time and to assist with expenses and any future needs her family may have.”
“Thank you for your generosity and support during this heartbreaking time,” Henderson concluded. “Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.”
Ross’s father, Adam, spoke to KHOU 11 about the horrific incident, saying, “Multiple families have been affected by these actions.” As for the hit-and-run driver, he said, “I know right now, they’re probably scared, you know, and thinking it’s going to go away, but it’s not going to go away.”
Ross, according to her mother, Michele King, was delivering for DoorDash when she asked her friend to pull over so she could help a hit-and-run victim.
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At the time of the tragic incident, Ross’ daughter was at a slumber party. Ross’s grieving family says the young girl has a strong support system, with her grandmother, Michele King, expressing pride in Ross’s selfless final act.
“She told her friend, ‘I have to make sure [there’s] no babies in that car,’ and she darted across the highway,” King told ABC-13. She added that she does not want the Mitsubishi driver to blame himself for the incident.
According to police, the driver of the Mitsubishi involved in the crash was transported to a local hospital and treated for minor injuries following the collision with the Ford Focus.
“I would hug him. I would hug him and hope that he doesn’t carry this burden for the rest of his life ‘cause it was a total accident,” King said, per ABC-13.
