Parents killed & 2 kids gravely hurt in horror crash as son they just dropped off at college watched from different car
The family was driving in two cars to get lunch while dropping off the son at college when the parents' car veered off the road, crashed into a wooded area and slammed into a tree.
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Their son, Noah, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, was traveling in a second car when the crash happened.
After the accident, Noah pulled over on the side of the road as emergency personnel tried to save his parents and siblings, WOIO said.
The family had traveled to his university from Ohio to drop him off for the new semester, according to the outlet.
Donald Nunney, 55, and his wife Maria Nunney, 50, died as a result of their injuries from the August 15 accident, according to a GoFundMe for the family.
Two other children – aged 9 and 15 – were also greatly injured, the fundraiser said, but did survive.
The fatal crash
They were near the college on Friday afternoon when their van had veered off the highway and hit multiple small trees, Highway Patrol said.
The car then went into an embankment and hit a large tree, WNCN reported.
Maria, who sat in the passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her husband, Donald, who was driving at the time of the crash, died shortly after he was airlifted to a hospital, according to police.
No other cars were involved in the accident.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol told WOIO that the college student was staying at his sibling's bedside as they recover in the hospital.
Beloved teachers
The couple were both teachers in Cleveland, Ohio, where the family is from.
"Maria and Donald were more than amazing and loving parents," their fundraiser said.
"They were also a devoted son and daughter, siblings, caring teachers, and friends."
Classes at the district they worked at began classes on Monday, just days after the horrific crash.
Sandro Galindo, the brother of Maria, told WNCN that they were driving to lunch with their son.
"Maria and Donald leave behind a legacy of community, family, and love, all rooted in the devotion they had for their children and their family."
"Every contribution, no matter the size, eases some of the weight these children are carrying," the GoFundMe said.
The couple had four children in total.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash as the investigation continues, according to WNCN.
The first day of school for UNC students was the following Monday, too.
North Carolina's State Highway Patrol could not immediately be reached for comment by The U.S. Sun.
The fundraiser had raised over $224,000 as of Wednesday morning, with over 2,800 donations.
"These four incredible kids are facing an unimaginable loss. As their family, we want to do everything we can to make sure their needs are cared for and their futures protected," the fundraiser description read.
"They gave so much of themselves to their students and their community."
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