WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The morning after Tranquility Care's Christmas party staff and residents at the Winston-Salem assisted living facility got the worst news.
"I can feel the sadness in the air," said Tranquility Care employee Lanita Wofford.
A sadness that'll linger after learning their med tech Victoria Brown died in a horrific crash Friday night.
"It's shocking what happened to her," said Patricia Milligan, resident at Tranquility Care. "It's an empty feeling. It's hard to believe she's gone already."
Winston-Salem police said Brown was a passenger in a car that crashed with another vehicle on Highway 52 near Akron Drive.
Brown was thrown from the vehicle and died. The driver was underneath the car badly injured.
Police said neither was wearing a seatbelt.
The driver of the other vehicle left the scene.
The owner of Tranquility Care Whitney Shore said Brown worked at the facility for over a year. She said Brown was also her daughter's best friend.
"She motivated my daughter to want to be a better person and to want to be something in life," Shore said.
Work hasn't been the same since.
"It's so hard. I miss her laugh her smile," Shore said. "I miss asking her what we're eating for lunch even though I already knew it was going to be chick-fil-a."
The residents Brown cared for also have heavy hearts.
"She was a sweet girl. She told me a lot of secrets and I kept them," resident Bernadette Arnold said. "I just love Victoria."
"She was so sweet," said resident Kim Grimmett. "She wanted to be a mother."
Brown motivated those who worked alongside her like Lanita Wofford.
"Everything was gloomy and when she came it was a ray of sunshine," said Wofford. "I asked my boss where did you find her."
Although Brown is gone physically shore says she'll make sure her spirit lives on with a candlelight vigil Saturday to honor Brown and all she's done.
WFMY News 2 reached out to police to get an update on the investigation and the driver's condition. We're waiting to hear back.