A Nurse Died When a Tree Fell on Her Car as She Drove to Work. Her Husband Then Told Their 3 Kids: ‘They All Cried’

A Philadelphia family is mourning the loss of Maria Camela “Ella” Lazo-Hannecart, a beloved wife, mother of three, and dedicated nurse practitioner, who was killed when a tree fell onto her car as she drove to work.

The 44-year-old was on her way to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center on Oct. 30 when the accident occurred, according to 6ABC. Police said Lazo-Hannecart was driving along West School House Lane in the city when a large tree suddenly collapsed, striking her vehicle and killing her instantly.

Her husband, Pierre Hannecart, recalled the devastating moment police informed him of the tragedy. “He goes, ‘Well, I have something to tell you that’s going to harm you,’” Pierre told the outlet. “Then he told me this awful story about the tree that fell on the car… I couldn’t believe it.”

Born in Manila, Philippines, Lazo-Hannecart moved to Philadelphia with her family when she was 10 years old, according to her obituary. A passionate athlete and tennis player, she dedicated her life to helping others — volunteering in the Congo, Senegal, and Haiti during the Ebola outbreak as part of Doctors Without Borders. It was during that work that she met Pierre, who is originally from France.

“She grabbed my hand on the back and she held it ever since — until last Wednesday,” he said of his late wife.

The couple married in a civil ceremony in 2015 and later celebrated their union in a church wedding in 2023. Together, they raised three young children, ages 3, 7, and 9.

Pierre said he faced one of the hardest moments of his life just hours after the accident — telling their children that their mother was gone. “I put them next to each other. I told them, ‘What I’m going to tell you is going to change your life forever,’” he said. “They all cried at the same time, and we all hugged each other.”

In the wake of her death, Lazo-Hannecart’s family created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs and to support Pierre and the children. Her funeral is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 9.

On the fundraiser page, loved ones described her as a “loving wife, super mom, sweet daughter, loyal sister, and fierce friend.”

Pierre hopes her legacy will live on through the values she embodied. “Say the truth. Be compassionate and honest,” he said. “This is who she was — and how she deserves to be remembered.”