“She was a wonderful, kind and warm-hearted person who always thought of others.”
The tragic death of a young woman following a horror weekend crash involving a bus and a car has left her local community “shocked and saddened”.
Student nurse Claudia Jaczyk, 23 and from Newtownabbey, died on Saturday morning after the car she was driving collided with a bus on the Ballyrobin Road in Templepatrick, close to Belfast International Airport.
The crash happened at around 8am on Valentine’s Day. The driver of the bus has serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
READ MORE: Claudia Jaczyk: Police name 23-year-old killed in crash between car and busREAD MORE: Woman dies after Ballyrobin Road crash involving bus and car
Diversions were put in place but they have since been lifted and the road reopened on Sunday morning.
Ms Jaczyk was a former pupil of Glengormley Integrated Primary School who said staff and students were “deeply saddened” by the news.
“We remember her as a kind, thoughtful and hard-working pupil,” the school added.
She later attended Ballyclare Secondary School and recently started training to become a nurse.
Meanwhile a fundraiser set up to help Ms Jaczyk’s grieving family fly over from her native Poland to attend her funeral and with funeral costs has gathered more than £7,000 within hours.
In a GoFundMe appeal a family member said: “She was only 23 years old and had her whole life ahead of her – full of plans, dreams, and hopes for the future. She had recently started nursing studies, as it was her dream to help others. She was a wonderful, kind, and warm-hearted person who always thought of others.”
They added: “Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. We kindly ask for privacy and respect. The funds raised will help the family cover expenses and other unforeseen costs during this extremely challenging and heartbreaking period.”
SDLP South Antrim Councillor Roisin Lynch has described the death of the young woman as another heart-breaking tragedy on our roads.
Cllr Lynch said: “This is heartbreaking tragedy, and my thoughts are with the family and friends of this young woman. Losing a loved one is never easy, but the loss of another young life on the North’s roads is devastating.
“My thoughts are also with the driver of the bus involved in the accident and I hope he makes a full recovery.
“I know that the local community in the Newtownabbey area will be shocked and saddened by this news and will do what they can to support the young woman’s family.
“The police have appealed to anyone who witnesses the collision to contact them, and I would ask people to help in any way they can.”
Anyone who witnessed the collision, or who may have digital footage which could assist with the police investigation, is asked to contact the Collision Investigation Unit on 101, quoting reference number 341 of February 14.
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