She was minutes from home, driving back from a celebration, when a single bad decision destroyed everything, and the last words her family received from her were ones of pure love.
Lauryn Marie Akey, 21, a University of South Florida student from Bradenton, Florida, was killed in the early hours of Sunday, May 17, 2026, on Interstate 75 in Charlotte County.
She was heading home after having a wonderful night celebrating when something came at her on that highway. She was 21 years old, weeks away from her senior year, and had a plan for her entire future.
Who Was the Young Woman Behind the Wheel?
Born on October 21, 2004, Akey grew up in Rochelle, Illinois, where she graduated from Rochelle Township High School in 2023. In high school, she was a cheerleader who was known for pulling people toward her, not just cheering from the sidelines…