Teen, 18, Dancing on SUV Falls and Dies After Being Struck by Firetruck: ‘It's Tragic that She's Not Here'
Nyla Simmons was dancing on top of an Escalade around 11:20 p.m. on Saturday, police said. Moments later, the car made a left turn, and she fell. The teen was hit by a firetruck that was responding to an emergency call.
All the drivers remained at the scene, police said. An investigation into the accident is ongoing.
Simmons was attending a friend's prom send-off before the accident, her parents, Everett and Letrice Simmons, told First Alert 4. She was the youngest of five children and a Parkway North High School class of 2024 graduate. She was set to start cosmetology school at Grabber School of Hair Design on Monday, April 28.
'We aren't ever going to be the same after this... I'm still in shock right now,' her parents said.
Related: Teen's Legs Amputated After She Was Hit By Car While Attending Volleyball Tournament: 'Her Life Has Changed'
'We just wanted the best for Nyla, the incident is just tragic the way she died but, that's what hurts the most, the way she died. Nyla was out having fun, that's what she liked: having fun, hanging out with her friends,' Letrice said.
'I'm highly distraught that I don't get to see what she was going to become,' Everett said.
'We want all her people and her friends to take this and learn from it,' Everett said of his daughter's tragic death. Letrice added, 'Don't get on top of a car, ya'll, just don't get on top, just be safe.'
'We've all been young before, we all have done some type of thing where it could have ended up bad for us,' her parents said.
'Nyla was going to be an entrepreneur, Nyla was going to be great in this world, and it's tragic that she's not here,' Everett said.
Related: Teen Hit by Truck While Driver Was Adjusting Baby's Pacifier. Family Says His Brain Injury Is 'Not Survivable'
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The Parkway District step team, which Simmons was a member of, called her a "force of talent" and a "light that shined brightly both on and off the stage," per Fox 2.
Representatives for the St. Louis Police and Fire Departments did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for more information on Monday.
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