15-Year-Old Daughter Killed in Car Crash While Delivering DoorDash to Save for Family Christmas Gifts
(king5)
A family in Washington State is mourning the heartbreaking loss of their 15-year-old daughter, Grace Horn, who tragically died in a car crash early Monday morning. Washington State Patrol officers told CBS affiliate KKTV that Grace lost control of her vehicle and crossed into the opposite lanes before veering off the road and crashing into a pole.
Despite the efforts of emergency responders, Grace was pronounced dead at the scene. It was later revealed that Grace’s parents had assumed she was safely at home in bed. Unbeknownst to them, Grace had been secretly delivering meals to save up enough money to buy Christmas presents for her family and friends.
“In the early hours of Monday, Dec. 2nd, the unexpected happened,” Christine Messmer wrote on a GoFundMe page for the family. “Grace, at the tender age of 15 years old, was sent to be in Heaven. When her parents thought she was tucked in for the night, Grace had decided to complete some DD orders to make money for her Christmas presents.”
The GoFundMe page continued, explaining that the area where the accident occurred had poor visibility that night. “Grace lost control of the vehicle she was driving around SR20 and Libby Rd. When emergency help arrived, Grace was declared gone,” Messmer shared.
Jennifer and Jake Horn, Grace’s parents, were devastated by the news of their daughter’s death. “This is something no parent should ever have to go through,” Messmer wrote. “Instead of planning for Grace’s Christmas presents being wrapped and opened, it quickly shifted to the intrusive thoughts, the ‘what ifs,’ the planning of the funeral of your one and only princess.”
The fundraiser, aimed at alleviating the financial burden on the grieving family, had raised over $20,000 by Saturday, surpassing its original goal. Messmer described Grace as “a strong and very independent young lady” who was always willing to help others. “She was a friend to everyone; she didn’t know anyone who she wasn’t willing to take a chance on,” Messmer added.
Grace’s parents told KIRO that the pain from her loss is “insurmountable.” They described her as a peacekeeper with a remarkable sense of humor. “She was witty, and her laugh was unlike any you have ever heard,” they said, remembering their beloved daughter. Grace’s sudden passing has left a hole in the hearts of all who knew her, but her memory will live on in the lives she touched.
