Maisey O’Donnell, 18-year-old state diving champion from Massachusetts, was killed along with two friends in a car accident in Florida during spring break.
The accident occurred Monday night near Panama City, Florida. The SUV carrying O’Donnell and her friends attacked a tractor trailer that was making a U-turn at the median highway 98.
The impact was so devastating that the SUV was knocked completely off the road and ended in a nearby forest.
O’Donnell was taken to the hospital, but was unable to save him. Four teenagers were in the SUV. All students are Concord-Carlisle High School. O’Donnell was killed along with driver Jimmy McIntosh and passenger Hannah Wasserman. The fourth unidentified student remains hospitalized. The 19-year-old tractor-trailer driver was not injured in the accident.
“That’s a tragedy.” I said Boston area diving coach Joe Chirico.
“The little ones respect her. The other divers respect her. It’s tragedy that someone at the top of their game is so short that they go to the best academic school, one of the best divers in the country.”
A tribute to O’Donnell has been posted on social media.
One former teammate I wrote it“I don’t know what to say. I’m so grateful to be your best friend,” read the Instagram post. “When I was sleeping on Saturday, I didn’t know that it would be the last time I had slept… You had such a bright future before you. You were the cleverest and most beautiful, funny girl I’d met.”
O’Donnell was scheduled to attend Williams University in the fall.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the crash is under investigation.
