Family Mourns ‘Doting’ Parents Who Died in Tragic Car Crash While Taking Their Son to College

Maria Galindo Nunney and Donald Nunney, who tragically died in a car crash while taking their oldest son to college, are being remembered with love and admiration by family and friends.

The couple was traveling with their youngest children, Leo, 9, and Lucia, 15, on Friday, Aug. 15, when their car “ran off the right side of the roadway,” according to a spokesperson for the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, as reported by PEOPLE. The vehicle went down an embankment before striking a large tree.

Maria, 50, died at the scene. Donald was airlifted to a nearby hospital but passed away shortly afterward. Both children sustained serious injuries and are recovering.

The family had just dropped off their 19-year-old son Noah at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill the previous day and were on their way from their hotel to visit him when the accident occurred.

Speaking with PEOPLE, Noah shared that his father had suffered a heart attack while driving and died within minutes of being airlifted.

A week later, relatives opened up in an interview with ABC. Donald’s sister, Meredith Nunney McCarthy, described the couple as “fantastic parents” and called her brother “a loving, doting father” who adored his wife.

“He loved Maria more than anything in the world, and he was just there for everybody,” she said.

Maria’s brother, Sandro Galindo, remembered her for her bright spirit and unforgettable laugh. “She pretty much lit up every room she was in,” he said, adding that she faced life’s challenges with humor and resilience.

Both Maria and Donald were longtime teachers in Cleveland, Ohio, and were deeply cherished by their students and community.

Their son Noah told PEOPLE that many of his childhood friends reached out after the tragedy, saying it felt like they had lost a parent, too. He recalled the fear he experienced at the crash site, initially believing his entire family might not have survived.

“They wouldn’t let me out of the car, and the way that they sat me down and the look on the officer’s face was truly horrifying,” he said.

Noah, now a rising sophomore, has decided to take a semester off school to focus on supporting his younger siblings.

Leo suffered broken arms and legs and was placed on a ventilator but has since improved. Lucia sustained a brain injury and is recovering as well, though Noah said she was not yet strong enough to be told of their parents’ passing.

Despite the devastating loss, the Nunney children — Noah, Diego, Lucia, and Leo — are surrounded by strong family support. “They have a really good support system with both sides of the family, so we’re doing the best we can to be there for them,” McCarthy told ABC.

A GoFundMe set up for the family has already raised nearly $350,000 to assist the children during this difficult time.

“Maria and Donald were more than amazing and loving parents. They were also a devoted son and daughter, siblings, caring teachers and friends,” wrote organizers Georgina and Sandro Galindo. “They gave so much of themselves to their students and their community.”

Their message concluded: “Maria and Donald leave behind a legacy of community, family, and love, all rooted in the devotion they had for their children and their family. That legacy will live on through Noah, Diego, Lucia, and Leo, who carry forward the very best parts of who their parents were.”