The passing of Jessica Ross and Janice Reay

There are times when words simply fail to convey the depth of sorrow experienced. This is one of those times. An unimaginable tragedy claimed the lives of the most selfless mother and her beautiful daughter. Jessica Ross and Janice (Sissy) Reay were taken from this earth after a horrific car accident. Jessica’s daughter, Gracie, and mother, Ginger, were injured in the crash.

If you knew the Birch, Ross, or Reay families, you would understand why so many people are reeling at the news of their passing. The impact they made on this world and the genuine love they had for not only their families and their friends, but even strangers, was immeasurable. The world is a little darker today. And while there will be time to grieve and celebrate the incredible lives they lived, we know if Jessica were here today, she’d tell us to focus on her mother and her daughter. So that is what we will do.

(Actually, if we take a page from Jessica’s book, she would already have meals arranged for months and she’d be on the phone making sure everything was handled, all while packing up her car to go clean your house and bring you warm cookies).

First, we ask you to stop what you are doing and pray for them. Ask specifically for healing for Gracie and Ginger, and comfort for those who still cannot fathom a world without Jessica and Janice. Second, we know that an accident of this magnitude has massive financial implications, and their families have not one but two funerals to plan. If you are in a financial position to help, please do so. If you are not, please share this. We would love to lift the financial burden from them so they can focus all of their time and attention on caring for Gracie and Ginger, and beginning the grieving process of the most amazing mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, and friends.

We feel broken, but we also feel blessed. To know them meant you were surrounded by a goodness rarely seen in this world. We are better people because we got to call them friends.