Around three in the morning on Sunday, the deadly collision happened, according to Knoxville Police. The Dodge pickup truck that the three of them were driving on the Weisgarber exit ramp of Interstate 40 swerved off the road and struck a guardrail. They all three perished tragically at the site when a Chevy pickup struck them and their Dodge as they got out of the car. After receiving non-life-threatening injuries, the Chevy’s driver was transported to a hospital for medical attention.

Living their best lives, Jessiah Plemons and Lily Rose were just starting their love journey. Lily was said to have a joyful, carefree, and vivacious nature that made everyone around her happy. August McClelland, her cousin, reminisces of her as a fun-loving individual who frequently collaborated with friends and family on TikTok videos.

“Our family simply lived for Lily. All she would do was lighten the space. The room would resound with her laughing,” Lily’s aunt Selena McClelland said.

Jessiah loved music, and it was clear from his behavior that he was passionate about it. He gave Lily her first guitar and took her to her very first concert. They had a nice relationship as Lily learned to strum the guitar and he learned to play the drums.

Even though Jessiah struggled with addiction, he was committed to helping others overcome similar obstacles because he had turned his life around. He changed many lives, shared his experiences at local jails, and frequently sponsored others who were battling addiction. Michelle Plemon, his mother, recalled him as a kind man who constantly checked on everyone else.

In order to keep his older sister’s two small children out of the Department of Children’s Services’ care, Jessiah also showed his love and support for them by giving them a caring home.

Lily Rose loved every second of being a mother and was a devoted mother to her own son and daughter. Jessiah and Lily planned to combine their families into one family of six.

Their relatives were kept in the dark about their covert elopement. The reason behind Jessiah’s request to Milea Effler, his sister, to watch the kids on Friday was still unknown. Effler tragically learned about their covert nuptials via social media, and soon after, the tragic accident news reached her.

A town that was once full of hope and ambitions for the future is now grieving the loss of these young people, whose lives were tragically cut short by this disaster.