The diving community is shocked over the tragic loss of Maisey O'Donnell, a two-time Massachusetts state diving champion. The 18-year-old athlete died after a horrific car accident during a spring break vacation in Florida.

The accident took place Monday night on Highway 98 outside Panama City and involved an SUV running into a tractor-trailer making a U-turn.

Spring Break Tragedy Claims Three Young Lives

Maisey O'Donnell, 2-Time State Diving Champ, Dies in Tragic Car Maisey O'Donnell, 2-Time State Diving Champ, Dies in Tragic Car
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O'Donnell was among four Concord-Carlisle High School seniors in an SUV when the vehicle struck a tractor-trailer in a high-impact collision. According to TMZ Sports, the SUV was unable to change direction to avoid the trailer as it turned in the median. It was driven across the road and finally came to rest in the adjacent woods.

Jimmy McIntosh, the driver, and Hannah Wasserman, a passenger, were both declared dead at the scene. O'Donnell was taken to Bay Medical Center in critical condition but died shortly thereafter. A fourth student is still hospitalized in critical condition. The tractor-trailer driver was not hurt.

Maisey O'Donnell's Diving Resume is Impressive

Maisey O'Donnell was not only a great athlete—she was a great student as well. With a future as bright as her record, she had been accepted into Williams College, where she intended to continue her academic and athletic pursuits.


O'Donnell's diving resume was nothing less than outstanding. She was a two-time state champion, an MVP, and a 1st Team All-State, all of which made her one of the nation's best young divers.

Her coach at Boston Area Diving, Joe Chirico, called her a role model and a leader:

"The little kids looked up to her; the other divers looked up to her. It's a tragedy that somebody at the top of their game, going to the best academic school, one of the best divers in the nation, was cut so short," Chirico told WCVB.

"To be a parent or somebody involved with one of these kids, it has to be one of the hardest things in the world," Chirico added. "I can't imagine anything tougher."

Investigation Underway by Florida Highway Patrol

The Florida Highway Patrol is actively looking into the cause of the crash. Circumstances of the U-turn movement by the tractor-trailer are still under examination as officials strive to decide whether charges will be brought.