“"Until I can hug you tight, I will look for you in the starry night" - Johnnie Munsey, Jaelyn's Brother
Life story
Jaelyn Ryanna Collins was a huge light in this dark world. She loved she loved people and she loved animals. She had the biggest heart and the most amazing spirit. She was taken from us by a drunk driver who hit the car that Jaelyn's best friend Ashton was driving and Jaelyn was in the passenger seat. The drunk driver crushed the passenger side with his vehicle which had crossed into the wrong lane. Jaelyn did not deserve this. She would have went on to cosmetology school and she would have been the most amazing mother ever. I am honored and proud to be her mother and I always have been.
Jaelyn,
I didn’t know you while you were here, but I’ve been following your story since 2022. I try to visit your grave to pay my respects whenever I’m in Tennessee. I visited in 2024, and I came by again today. Today I took some time to clean your headstone and put your belongings back after they had blown away by the rain storm. I was just trying to do a small good deed in your memory. I hope you’re having a wonderful time in heaven with your dad and all of your other loved ones. You are remembered, and I hope you know that so many people still care.
Rest peacefully. ❤️
From Rachel in North Carolina
Tammie OliverThank you so much for cleaning her headstone and fixing her things back Rachel. That was so kind and thoughtful and I appreciate you
HC
Hanna Cooper119w
Jae 🦋💜
We wasn’t the closest by any means, but we did have homeroom together in high school for a couple years and gym class, we would always have the funniest laughs with Jaelyn she was the sweetest kindest soul, she didn’t deserve what she had to go through, I pray she’s in heaven at peace and happy ! 🥹❤️
You were so excited to start working at the nail salon with us. You were great at the job and everyone there loved you deeply. I wish i had known that facetime call would be the last time i’d ever talk to you. It’s so good to know you’re at peace, but part of me wants to be selfish and want you here. you were taken far too soon, you had so much ahead of you. we all miss you so much sweet girl. rest easy 💜
there are simply too many memories that we shared to even begin to tell them all , and a lot are moments i like to think back on and to know we shared them , just us, only we know. ❤️ but my favorite is valentine’s day, we showed our love for our friendship that year because all we had was each other. you made me the most beautiful book and we got a stuffed animal with our voices in it expressing our love for each other. i will always always cherish it and only hope that one day we have more time together than we did. i will always love you jaelyn, i will never forget you and my kids will know they had an auntie jae one day. im forever missing you. i hope that wherever you are you’re okay and happy, that is my only wish. until we meet again my beautiful free butterfly 🩷
Jaelyn, I can’t believe you’ve been gone for 3 years.. you didn’t deserve what happened to you, you were only 18 years old just starting your adult life. you deserve to be here living your life like the rest of us, but because of a drunk and distracted driver that was forever taken away from you, you had no choice in it. Im so sorry this happened to you sweet girl, i watch videos of you that your momma post all the time , she misses you so much. although i didn’t get to know you while you were here I’ve taken the time to get to know your bestfriend , and she is an amazing and pure hearted person. She misses you so much, beyond words. You two would’ve made it so far in life together she was your person, and you were hers. Although i cant change what happened, i take the time to post you and Ashton on my social media sometimes to warn people about the affects and aftermath drinking and driving distracted can cause, in hopes i might be able to save a life one day. your life is honored in so many ways your momma and Ashton’s momma have set up an annual 5K run and it grows each year, they’ve put up a beautiful cross at the site of the crash, and made it look so pretty, your resting place is always decorated beautifully by your momma and family. I plan to visit you one day and just sit beside you and honor your life and that your life still matters, you were here and you had an amazing life. You were not taken in vain , so many people honor you all over the United States I wish you could see how much you are truly loved by millions of people all over, you will ALWAYS be remembered, never to be forgotten Jae. I know you’re resting easy and in peace love🕊️
3 years later and we still struggle with your absence...you are so so so loved!! Your tragic story ending is making a difference in lives, it's so good to see the difference but for us boo it still doesn't change we can't have you back here with us....we will continue to share all the greatest things about you!! And pray this tragedy doesn't strike others as it has for us.... no matter the time, the miles, the universe in between I love you for always!!!
Iv been following your story since it happened I didn’t know you but Ik you would have been a great freind to have you definitely didn’t deserve what happened to you still had so much live to live I hope that u continue to rest in peace baby girl you were so beautiful and you were taken way too soon I wish I could visit your grave but I’m too far away but I’m glad I get to say this we’ll continue to pray for your momma everyday as she goes thru the grief process fly high beautiful ❤️
Sweet Jaelyn, while I didn’t know you while you were here , I think of you daily . You are still so loved by so many people and will never be forgotten 🫶🏻
Jaelyn was such a ray of sunshine and always made everyone around her smile/laugh. She had the biggest heart and purest soul. She really knew how to light up any room she walked into. She will never ever be forgotten. She will forever be loved and missed. Her story has touched my heart and I know it has changed so many lives. Let’s keep Jaelyn’s memory alive.🦋
The lives that my daughter's story has touched blows my mind. She will never be forgotten by those of us who knew and loved her and she will never be forgotten by so many others.
She did not die in vain, her story can save lives. #nomorevictims
Jaelyn and momma
