Two truckers from the area, David Wayne Jernigan Jr. of Mount Airy and his co-driver, L. Bradley Smallwood of Tobaccoville, were killed in a traffic accident outside of Ozark, Arkansas, earlier this month. Both men left behind families struggling to pick up the pieces.
Jernigan’s family shared that he was, “A resilient soul whose journey touched many hearts. David faced his fair share of challenges, overcoming battles with addiction to emerge stronger than ever. With unwavering determination, he embraced sobriety and embarked on a new chapter of his life.”
As Jernigan had been reassembling the pieces of his life following a battle with addiction, he worked to obtain his commercial driver’s license in order to better support his family. He leaves behind a fiancée, Jessica, and their three children Anthony, Serena, and Nova. His family said the couple had been eagerly anticipating their wedding in October.
His family described the incident thusly, “In the early hours of the morning of May 5, his life was cut short in a devastating accident involving his semi-truck. The loss reverberated deeply within his family — from his grieving fiancée and children to his devastated parents and countless loved ones.”
According to the accident report, at approximately 2:20 a.m. on Sunday, May 5, Jernigan was driving the tractor trailer, traveling west on Interstate 40 when the vehicle left the roadway and went into the median where it struck the center pylons of a bridge. The accident report said weather at the time of the accident was cloudy and dry.
Smallwood, the co-driver, also killed in the accident, hailed from Tobaccoville where he lived with his wife Amber, who his family called “his soulmate. They shared the joy of raising three children, aged 14, 9, and 6.”
“His love for his family was evident in every moment he spent with them — whether it was treating them to dinner and movies after a long haul or taking them on exhilarating motorcycle rides, a passion he cherished,” the family wrote. “Amidst this unimaginable grief, we rally together to support Amber and her children during this dark hour.”
Go Fund Me pages have been set up for both Jernigan and Smallwood to help raise funds to support their families in their time of crisis and loss.
The Jernigan family wrote, “As we come together to support Jessica and her children during this time of profound sorrow, your contribution can make a meaningful difference. Whether through donations to facilitate David’s return home, arrangements for his service, or offering solace in the weeks ahead, every act of kindness serves to alleviate the burden of this tragedy.”
Jernigan’s sister-in-law Sarah Stevens said the family has also coordinated a benefit to raise money for the two men. She said that the accident was so recent that insurance has not yet been able to help the families.
The benefit will be held at Granite City Church, 840 Fowler Road, Mount Airy, on Saturday, May 25, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. featuring food trucks, bake sale, raffle, bingo, and kid’s events. All proceeds will go directly to the families of the men.
Organizers of the event said, “In addition to providing financial relief, we’ll also use this opportunity to raise awareness about big rig safety, honoring David and Brad’s memory by educating the community about safe practices when sharing the road with eighteen-wheelers. The event will feature trucks onsite as a reminder of the importance of road safety.”
Most Popular
Comments / 0