Family Tragedy: Donald and Maria Nunney Die in Fiery Crash While Taking Son to College

A devastating tragedy has struck the Nunney family and their community, as husband and wife Donald and Maria Nunney lost their lives in a horrific car crash while on their way to drop off their son at college. What should have been a moment of pride and joy — seeing their child take the next step in life — turned into a heartbreaking day of unimaginable loss.

According to initial reports, the vehicle they were traveling in became engulfed in flames after a severe collision, leaving no chance for survival. In just moments, what was meant to be a hopeful new chapter for their family ended in tragedy, leaving their children and loved ones in deep mourning.

Donald and Maria are remembered by all who knew them as loving parents, devoted to their family above all else, and as kind, generous people who touched countless lives. Friends describe them as a couple who inspired others with their love, strength, and commitment, leaving behind a legacy of warmth and compassion.

Their sudden passing has left an unfillable void, and condolences have poured in from near and far. The community has come together to support their son and the extended family during this time of unbearable grief.

This heartbreaking loss is a reminder of life’s fragility and the importance of treasuring every moment with those we love. Donald and Maria Nunney’s memory will live on, not only in their son but in the hearts of everyone who was fortunate enough to have known them.

May their memory be eternal, and may their souls rest in peace.

Married Teachers Die in Crash While Dropping Son Off at College, and Their 2 Younger Kids Barely Survive

“These four incredible kids are facing an unimaginable loss,” a family member said

Maria (left) and Donald Nunney.Credit :

Maria Galindo-Nunney Facebook

Two beloved teachers in Ohio died last week in a crash during a trip to North Carolina to drop off their oldest son at college, according to authorities and local news reports.

Their two younger children were seriously injured in the crash but survived.

On Friday, Aug. 15, around 1:18 p.m. local time, 55-year-old Donald Nunney was driving a Honda Odyssey going east on Interstate 40 near Chapel Hill when his vehicle “ran off the right side of the roadway … [and] struck several small trees,” a spokesperson for the North Carolina State Highway Patrol tells PEOPLE.

The minivan “traveled down an embankment and collided with a large tree,” the spokesperson says. The crash remains under investigation; further details about what caused it were not available.

Both Nunney, 55, and his wife, 50-year-old Maria Galindo Nunney, who was sitting in the passenger seat, were killed.

A 9-year-old and a 15-year-old in the vehicle were hospitalized with serious injuries, the highway patrol spokesperson says.

The Galindo family identified them in a fundraiser as the Nunneys\\’ son Leo and daughter, Lucia.

Investigators told CBS affiliate WOIO that the couple was in North Carolina to take their oldest son, later identified as 19-year-old Noah, to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They were close to the campus when witnesses saw the minivan crash.

The family was headed to lunch at the time of the crash, Maria’s brother, Sandro Galindo, told CBS affiliate WNCN.

Noah was in a different vehicle and pulled over onto the side of the highway after the wreck, WOIO reported.

Sgt. Tyler Tucker with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol told the outlet that Noah stayed at his siblings’ bedsides in the hospital to comfort them.

“Their entire world has changed,” he said to WOIO.

According to the GoFundMe donation page to support the family, which also includes an 18-year-old son, Diego, the two youngest children are “healing from major trauma and injuries.”

Donald and Maria were both teachers at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, according to WOIO. Noah is a returning sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill.

The Nunney family.

GoFundMe

“These four incredible kids are facing an unimaginable loss,” the GoFundMe\\’s organizers wrote. “As their family, we want to do everything we can to make sure their needs are cared for and their futures protected.”

The organizers described Maria and Donald as “amazing and loving parents” and highlighted their devotion to their family and in class: “They gave so much of themselves to their students and their community.”

Their deaths occurred not long before the first day of school at UNC, on Monday, Aug. 18.

Shari Obrenski, the president of the Cleveland Teachers Union, told WOIO that the school community is reeling.

“Their loss has hit everyone so hard that it is unimaginable for their family and their children,” Obrenski said. “So shocking and heartbreaking and just devastating.”

As the family and members of the school mourn, loved ones say they are working to honor the “legacy of community, family, and love” that Maria and Donald leave behind.

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“That legacy will live on through Noah, Diego, Lucia, and Leo, who carry forward the very best parts of who their parents were,” wrote the organizers of the GoFundMe, which has raised more than $128,000 as of Tuesday, Aug. 19.