A Texas woman is facing a heartbreaking new reality after losing her entire immediate family in a horrific car crash earlier this month.
On the afternoon of May 17, Tommy Moorehead III was driving through southern Grayson County with his two young children — 6-year-old Lynnlee and 4-year-old Tommy Jr. — when their lives were tragically cut short. Around 12:30 p.m., their Chevrolet Silverado was struck head-on by a Dodge Ram 3500 attempting to pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone while going uphill.
The impact of the crash was devastating. The Silverado caught fire, and all three members of the Moorehead family were pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Dodge Ram, 63-year-old Rocky Patterson, survived the collision and has since been arrested. Authorities have charged him with manslaughter, a second-degree felony. His bond has been set at $3 million. The 74-year-old driver of the vehicle Patterson was trying to pass also sustained injuries but is expected to recover.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, loved ones and members of the community have rallied around Brooke Mustard Moorehead — the wife and mother left behind. Brooke lost her husband and both of her children in an instant.
A GoFundMe campaign was created to help her cope with funeral expenses and the many challenges she now faces. The fundraiser paints a picture of the family lost: Tommy, a devoted father and husband who gave his heart fully to his family; Lynnlee, a bright, curious, joyful little girl; and Tommy Jr., a sweet, smiling boy just beginning his life.
“In a single instant, Brooke lost everything,” the campaign reads. “She is facing the unimaginable, and she needs all of us to help her through this most painful time.”
Brooke, a longtime employee at a local restaurant, is remembered by friends and colleagues as kind, hardworking, and deeply compassionate — someone who has always cared for others with grace and warmth. Now, it’s the community’s turn to care for her.
Organized by friend Carmen Hall, the fundraiser has set a goal of $150,000. In just 10 days, over 60% of that goal has been reached — a testament to the impact this family had on those around them and the outpouring of love for Brooke during her darkest hours.
