Tragedy Strikes: Beloved Husband-and-Wife Teachers Lose Their Lives in Fiery Crash

A beloved Cleveland couple, both longtime educators and parents of four, died in a tragic car crash while dropping their son off at college in North Carolina. The accident, which occurred Friday afternoon, has left their school communities and the city in mourning as they rally to support the surviving children.

The Crash

According to authorities, the incident happened around 1:18 p.m. on Friday, when troopers responded to a call on Interstate 85 north and Interstate 40 east near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Donald Nunney, 55, was driving a Honda Odyssey minivan with his wife, 50-year-old Maria Nunney, in the passenger seat and two of their children—a 14-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son—in the backseat. The family was returning after dropping their eldest son off at college.

Investigators say the minivan veered off the road into the woods, striking several trees before colliding with a large tree and catching fire. Both Donald and Maria Nunney died at the scene. Their two children were rushed to the hospital; the daughter suffered more serious injuries than her brother, but both are reported to be stable and expected to recover.

North Carolina Highway Patrol is still investigating the cause of the crash.

Lives Dedicated to Education

Donald Nunney was a language arts teacher at Joseph M. Gallagher School, teaching grades four through six since 1994. Maria Nunney served as a school counselor at Wilbur Wright PreK-8 School. Both were respected and well-known within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), impacting generations of students and families over nearly three decades.

“We can confirm that we will have additional counselors and resources on hand to support the student and staff communities at the many impacted schools,” said CMSD Communications Officer Jon Benedict. “Out of respect for the family, that’s all we’re prepared to say at this very difficult time, other than to say our heart is with them at this very tragic moment.”

School and Community Response

The loss comes just as the CMSD school year is set to begin Monday. Principals and district leaders are working quickly to provide grief counseling and emotional support for students and staff.

In a letter to the Joseph M. Gallagher School community, Principal Lennox Thompson wrote:

“With a heavy heart I regret to inform you that Mr. Don Nunney and his wife passed away yesterday afternoon around 1:30 PM. He and his family got into a single-car accident in North Carolina after dropping off their son Noah to college. We have been informed that 2 of his children were with them – that they were rushed to IC but are stable and will be fine.
Don had been a teacher at Gallagher since 1994, servicing generations and generations of families in the community for almost 30 years, and our heart goes out to his family; his wife was a teacher in the District as well at Wilbur Wright. They both were well known in Cleveland, in their own community and moreover, well respected and will be missed.

There is no one sole way to deal with grief of a lost one. Some want to hold on to loved ones and be around others who knew him; some want to be in solitude; some don’t want to discuss it and stick to work that needs to be done as a distraction. Regardless of how you deal with grief, please know that you are not alone – that we have a staff 100+ that feel your loss and are there for you and are there for one another. Losing someone is never easy, so let’s lean on each other in support.

The CEO reached out to us yesterday, and we have their full support with grief counselors and support on Monday. We have a meeting with Humanware tomorrow to formulate a plan of support on Monday for both students and staff, and we will ask that it not only be for Monday—as such an event and passing can hit people at different times and differently.

Lastly, please keep the Nunney family in your prayers. This tragedy has hit home at school but the impact on their family—on their children—that is life altering. We will give more information about Monday and support setup.”

Support for the Nunney Children

The Nunneys leave behind four children. As the family and community grapple with this sudden loss, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to help support the Nunney children in the months and years ahead.

Moving Forward

The tragedy has deeply affected the Cleveland school community, where Donald and Maria Nunney’s legacy of dedication, compassion, and service will be remembered for years to come. As students and staff return to school, additional counselors and support services will be available, and the district has pledged ongoing assistance for all those impacted.

The thoughts and prayers of the Cleveland community are with the Nunney family during this unimaginably difficult time.