A TikTok star has tragically died in a car crash just days after telling her followers that she had never been involved in a road accident.
On March 17, Kara Santorelli was driving down Highway 29 in Escambia County, Florida, when a car came reeling the wrong way and collided with her Nissan SUV, as reported by The New York Post.
The 18-year-old died in the tragic wreck while the other unidentified driver also passed away after being entangled in their own vehicle, per the outlet.
Six days before the fatal impact, the TikToker shared a now-deleted video that went viral on the platform with 15 million views, according to Daily Mail.
Santorelli - who went by the handle @kara_santorelli13 - accumulated 47.8K followers on her account. Prior to its deletion, she shared a video discussing how she's never been in a car crash or hit someone with her car.
"When they try to call me a bad driver but I've never hit a person or an actual car," Santorelli wrote in the overlay text as she is seen sitting behind the driver's wheel of her vehicle.
The comments section of her other videos has now been flooded with condolences from followers, with one user writing: "Life is absolutely crazy how can someone be so lively and present and just gone the next rip."
Another user said: "Rest easy you will be missed," while a third person commented: "Life is so unfair sometimes. Rest easy beautiful girl."
The teen's grieving family has been posting tributes to her on social media, with Santorelli’s mother, Lacey McLaughlin, sharing a video montage of her daughter and emotionally penning in the caption: "God blessed me with you."
Her aunt, Gina Southard said her family was heartbroken following the accident, and said: "A little piece of my heart died today when I found out my niece went to heaven. I love your beautiful soul Kara!"
Officials at Northview High School - where Santorelli studied and was about to graduate from - also mourned her death in a devastating statement obtained by The Mirror.
"We hold tight to beautiful memories that she had left with us. Her beautiful smile and kind spirit will continue to be in the hearts of her friends and classmates," the school wrote.
The TikToker's workplace, Jimmy’s Grill, also echoed similar sentiments made by her school and said that Santorelli’s warm smile always brightened everyone's day.
"If you didn’t know Kara you missed out on knowing a very special person and it’s a void in our hearts," the restaurant said in a Facebook post. "We will always remember you and know that you can put a smile on everyone’s face even through the rough times!"
The local community held a memorial event for the teen at Pensacola Beach.
Our thoughts are with Santorelli's loved ones at this time.
