Nanny, 24, Dies in 7-Car Wreck in Georgia. Mom Says Her Boyfriend ‘Was Planning to Propose’ Soon

Mar. 15, 2025

McKayla Harshaw.Photo:McKayla Harshaw/Facebook

McKayla Harshaw/Facebook

Family and friends of a 24-year-old woman who died in a seven-car crash in Georgia are mourning her death — which they say came days before her boyfriend was set to propose.

“Traffic began diverting around a disabled Pontiac vehicle and as traffic began stopping abruptly, two Freightliner CMVs struck a white Ford Transit van, which then struck a Hyundai car, that then hit a Toyota Corolla, causing it to overturn, making contact with [an] Audi A4,” Georgia State Police told the news station.

Perez was seriously injured with a fractured skull, and suffered a broken neck, back and ribs, McKayla’s mother, Melissa Gunther, shared onFacebook.

“Andrew’s brother told us this morning that [Andrew] was planning to propose to her soon,” Gunther wrote. “McKayla would have turned 25 on Sept. 30. Now, we’re planning her funeral.”

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According to McKayla’sobituary, a funeral service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Piedmont Church in Marietta, Ga.

The Georgia native, who worked as a nanny, “loved caring for children” and “looked forward to having a family of her own,” her obituary states.

Those who knew her said she loved to model, had a passion for the outdoors and was an avid climber and hiker. She had hoped to start her own business one day to follow in her parents’ entrepreneurial footsteps, per the obituary.

“She was gleefully optimistic, had a smile that could light up a room and gave the best hugs,” according to her obituary.

source: people.com