A tragic accident has claimed the lives of two Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) employees. According to a report from cleveland.com, the married couple, Donald Nunney, 55, and Maria Nunney, 50, were driving in North Carolina when their vehicle crashed last Friday. The North Carolina State Patrol reports that the incident occurred on Interstate 85/Interstate 40 around 1:20 p.m., with their two children sustaining injuries in the accident.
Driving a 2018 Honda Odyssey, Donald Nunney, who was at the wheel, steered the vehicle off the right side of the road, which led to multiple trees and a large tree being struck down an embankment. Both Donald and Maria Nunney did not survive the crash, with Maria dying at the scene, and Donald passing away after being airlifted to a hospital in Chapel Hill, reported Cleveland19 News. The couple's children, a 14-year-old and a 9-year-old, are currently hospitalized, with their conditions being closely monitored.
According to WKYC, the couple, both respected educators, were en route to Chapel Hill with their oldest son following in a separate car to drop him off at college. The president of the Cleveland Teachers Union, Shari Obrenski, expressed the collective heartbreak of the community, stating, "They were just incredible teachers, loving and attentive and committed parents. They were active in the community. Their loss has hit everyone so hard that it is unimaginable for their family and their children."
The Cleveland schooling community is beginning to come to terms with the loss as classes resume on Monday. CMSD's Communications Officer, Jon Benedict, conveyed the district's support for the grieving, saying, "We can confirm that we will have additional counselors and resources on hand to support the student and staff communities," as obtained by Cleveland19 News. It was in a wooded area near the highway that the minivan, driven off the road, caught fire and resulted in fatal consequences, as reported by WRAL.
As the investigation into the cause of the crash continues, the extended Cleveland community, along with the couple's son, who is steadfast by his siblings' hospital bedsides, mourns a future without two individuals who represented more than their roles as educators – they were pillars of a family and a network that extended far into the folds of their community.
