RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Crowds of family, friends, coworkers, and teachers gathered near Riviera Beach Tuesday night to honor the life of 16-year-old ToryAnn McFarlane following a deadly crash on I-95.
Holding candles and flowers along Singer Island, loved ones shared emotional memories of ToryAnn, many wearing green in tribute to her favorite color. One by one, attendees reflected on the joy she brought into their lives.
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“ToryAnn really never had to say anything,” said one friend Briana. “If you were having a bad day, all it took was for you to see her — to see her smiling. She was a star. Remarkable. Unforgettable.”
We first told you about the crash last week, when ToryAnn lost control of her vehicle near the Blue Heron Boulevard exit on I-95, according to Florida Highway Patrol. Investigators said she exited the vehicle before being struck by another car.
Her father, Howard McFarlane, said the tragedy has left the family devastated. “Everything’s really shocking,” McFarlane said.
School administrators and teachers also remembered ToryAnn’s determination and accomplishments, including her recent graduation from Inlet Grove Community High.
“My last memory of her is watching her cross that stage,” said school administrator Moses Baker. “Such a beautiful moment when she graduated.”
Just days before the crash, ToryAnn graduated at only 16 years old and was already balancing school, work, and college classes. Loved ones said she dreamed of becoming a nurse and had a future full of promise.
“ToryAnn graduated at 16. She was doing it big,” said Briana. “Nobody was doing it like ToryAnn,” another added. “She was in college, she was driving, she had a job.”
Close friend Jayla Moore described the heartbreak of learning ToryAnn had died.
“When I first heard of Tory’s passing, I obviously was in denial,” Moore said. “It really broke me down mentally and physically.”
Loved one started a GoFundMe to ease funeral an memorial expenses.
As Florida Highway Patrol continues investigating the crash, loved ones say they are now focused on carrying on ToryAnn’s legacy and honoring the goals she never had the chance to complete.
“The things she didn’t get to accomplish,” said Jayla. “I want to accomplish it for her.”
