Woman killed in wreck was returning from arranging son’s funeral, family says

MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — The family of a woman killed in a crash on I-65 in Mobile County, Alabama earlier this week says the devastating loss happened just days after the passing of her son.

To family and friends, Clarissa Murphy was known as “Sally Girl,” a loving woman with a heart that was larger than life. In fact, she was on her way back from finalizing her son’s funeral arrangements when the unthinkable happened.

“You’re going to do some crying and you’re going to do some laughing, but if you can maintain the laugh just a little bit more that you cry. You’re going to be alright,” said Davon Lyons, Murphy’s son.

It’s a painful reality for Lyons and his siblings, who were hit not once, but twice in less than a week.

“When I start feeling emotions I don’t know if it was from my brother now or am I feeling that emotion for my mom now,” Lyons said.

Since his brother died last Tuesday, Lyons said his mother was taking the loss very hard. She didn’t leave the house much, just wanted to mourn her son’s passing with family. But on Monday, for the first time since his death, she decided to leave and join her son’s wife so she wouldn’t have to go alone to finalize his funeral arrangements.

As she was on her way home, state troopers said she was rear-ended on I-65 near Chickasaw. She was thrown from her car and killed.

“As I was sitting in the parking lot, the WKRG News App popped up on my phone and that is when I read the devastating news. And I was just praying and worshiping and praying and worshiping. Trying to keep myself in control so that I can remain safe until I got home,” said Rosalyn Valcourt, Murphy’s daughter-in-law.

Troopers said Murphy was not wearing a seat belt. The man who hit her, 29-year-old Brandon Mann, was not injured in the crash.

“We are still processing everything, like what happened, how did this happen?” said Valcourt.

So many questions still surrounding the heart-wrenching situation, as family members lean on each other in hopes to heal.

“I was always taught that God wouldn’t bring you to it if he’s not going to bring you through it,” said Valcourt.

Murphy was the glue of this family. Through the pain and tears, their healing is one that will only come with time.

The family will have a joint funeral with Murphy and her son on Friday in Atmore, where she is from.