Three high school seniors from Massachusetts were killed in a devastating car crash during a spring break trip to Florida.
The students – all 18 years old and seniors at Concord-Carlisle High School – were traveling on Highway 98 near Panama City around 9:28PM on Monday (April 21) when their SUV collided with a tractor-trailer that was making a U-turn.
The impact of the crash sent the vehicle across the median and into a wooded area on the opposite side of the highway.
Two of the students, Jimmy McIntosh and Hannah Wasserman, were pronounced dead at the scene. A third, Maisey O’Donnell, tragically died later at Bay Medical Center, and a fourth, whose name has not been released, remains in critical condition.
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District Superintendent Laurie Hunter confirmed the horrific tragedy in a statement.
“We are very appreciative of the outpouring of love during what is absolutely heartbreaking,” Hunter said, per The New York Post. “We also appreciate the wish to feel purposeful and not helpless.”
“At this time, it is most appropriate that no action be taken to honor the students without the full consent of the families and appropriate support for so many young people facing unfathomable loss,” Hunter added.
McIntosh, from Carlisle, was driving at the time of the collision and was wearing his seatbelt.
Authorities are still investigating whether the other three students were restrained. The 19-year-old driver of the tractor-trailer and their passenger were not injured.
According to reports, O’Donnell was a standout athlete and a two-time Massachusetts state diving champion. She had plans to attend Williams College and was regarded as one of the top divers in the country.
Her coach, Joe Chirico, spoke about the tragic loss with WCVB and described his student as an inspiration to younger athletes.
“It’s a tragedy,” he said. “The little kids looked up to her, the other divers looked up to her. It’s a tragedy that somebody at the top of their game, going to the best academic school, one of the best divers in the nation, was cut so short.”
O’Donnell had an impressive resume, earning MVP and First Team honors across state, area, region, county, and conference levels in 2023 while competing for Concord-Carlisle High School, per NCSA Sports.
Wasserman was remembered by friends and family as a compassionate and thoughtful young woman.
A GoFundMe has been launched to assist her parents with funeral and memorial expenses. “Hannah was truly one of a kind: warm-hearted, kind, and always looking out for others,” fundraiser organizer Rex Riessen wrote.
“She had a way of making everyone feel seen, heard, and loved. Whether it was a friend in need, a classmate having a rough day, or a stranger who needed a smile, Hannah showed up with compassion and care,” they added.
The crash remains under investigation by Florida authorities.
Concord-Carlisle High School, located about 25 miles outside Boston, is offering support to students and staff as the community grapples with the unimaginable loss.
Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.