A stunt actor who featured in Marvel movies was tragically killed in a horrific car accident in Georgia along with three of his children.
On October 31, Taraja Ramsess - who starred in Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther - was on his way home at around 11PM when he fatally crashed into a truck that had broken down near an exit on an Atlanta-area highway, as reported by WSB-TV.
The impact instantly killed the 41-year-old father, his 13-year-old daughter Sundari, and newborn daughter Fugibo Ramsess, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
His son, 10-year-old Kisasi, and a three-year-old girl were also in the car and taken to the hospital in critical condition. Tragically, the family announced that Kisasi succumbed to his injuries over the weekend.
Per The Mirror, investigators said that Ramsess took an exit ramp where a tractor-trailer was broken down in the left lane when they collided. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The late stuntman's mother, Akili Ramsess, confirmed the death of her son and her grandchildren in a heartbreaking Instagram post. She also penned that two of the stuntman's daughters survived, with his three-year-old being hospitalized, and that his 10-year-old son Kisasi was on life support, but later posted that he had died as well.
"All who knew and met him know how special Taraja was. He had a deep capacity for love and loved his children more than all. He loved his martial arts, motorcycles, and all things related to filmmaking," Akili penned. "He [had] a very droll yet wicked sense of humor & yet could be as cornball corny as can be.
"Sundari, Sunny as she was called, also reflected that special light. Funny & loved to dance," she continued. "Oh God! I can't believe they're gone! We are grieving and remain prayerful for my grandchildren's recovery. Thank you to so many who have already reached out with kind words and prayers."
On top of working in Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther, Ramsess' stunt work was featured in Avengers: Infinity War, The Suicide Squad, Atlanta, and Creed III, per IMDB.
He also worked in the art department on numerous projects including The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Walking Dead, and The Vampire Diaries.
The late stunt actor was also part of the crew at filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s distribution company ARRAY. DuVernay honored Ramsess in a touching tribute post on Instagram.
"I remember one day on set, we didn’t have enough Black background actors for a key scene. I had to recruit my crew members to be on-camera. Taraja was the first to say yes. Yes, I’ll do my real job and then jump into this wild scene playing a tough guy with a gun for you. From there – everyone else said yes too. He was that kind of person. A leader. A light," she wrote.
"Taraja. His name is like music. We will continue to sing it. Bless his soul. Bless his memory. Bless his loved ones and the many comrades he leaves here as he journeys on," DuVernay concluded.
Our thoughts are with Ramsess' family and friends at this heartbreaking time.
