A 79-year-old grandmother, Abigail Sampey, was fatally struck by a car last week while walking near her home in Luling, Louisiana, leaving her family and community mourning her loss.
Sampey’s family described her as a pillar of the St. Charles Parish community, where she spent many years working in the school system.
“There wasn’t a day, no matter how mad or upset you were, that you went around that lady and you didn’t have a smile on your face,” Landon Sampey, Abigial’s grandson, said.
Her daughter, Angelle Sampey, shared the pain of losing her mother in a Zoom call with WDSU.
“Several times a day I try to pick up my phone to text her or call her about something, and then I have to remind myself that I, I don’t, I can’t do that anymore,” she said.
The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office reported that Sampey was hit from behind by 64-year-old Sandra Kinler of Luling while on an afternoon walk just steps away from her home.
“We lost my dad a year ago. We had just reached the one-year anniversary for him on Oct. 28, and my mom was just starting to turn the corner of being able to move past his loss,” Angelle said. “The day before her passing was the first day she decided to start walking.”
Sampey was airlifted to a hospital but later died from her injuries.
“In a residential area where the speed limit is 25 miles an hour, there should never be a reason that a pedestrian could even step in front of you, and you don’t have time to react,” said Logan Sampey, another of Abigial’s grandsons.
Kinler was arrested and charged with negligent homicide.
In a news release, investigators stated that Kinler “failed to take any action to avoid striking Ms. Sampey from behind, despite her having adequate time to do so and an unobstructed view ahead with no other traffic on the street.”
“My mom was such a loving, forgiving person. She wouldn’t want us to hold any hate in our hearts for this woman,” Angelle said.
Toxicology results are pending to determine if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.
“If anything comes out of this, I hope and pray that it’s for people to start paying attention and stopping and slow down,” Angelle said.
“I just want everybody to take the time to love their loved ones because they never know when they could leave,” Landon said.
A celebration of life for Abigail Sampey is scheduled for Nov. 22 at the St. Charles Bridge Park Pavilion. The event begins at noon and is open to the public.
READ MORE:Family shares sorrow after Luling grandmother fatally struck by car during neighborhood walk
