The path through unimaginable grief is one that Samantha Jensen knows all too well. Her world was irrevocably broken on an October day in 2022 when her three-year-old daughter, Scarlett, was killed in a hit-and-run accident. The tragedy occurred while Scarlett and her two-year-old brother, Henry, were in the care of their grandmother. A simple walk down their private driveway turned into a nightmare when a vehicle sped towards them, ignoring the grandmother’s frantic attempts to save the children.
In the aftermath of the crash, the scene was one of devastation. Scarlett lost her life almost immediately. Her brother Henry suffered a horrific list of injuries, including a fractured spine, broken ribs, and a lacerated liver, requiring a week in the pediatric intensive care unit and a long recovery. Their grandmother also sustained serious broken bones. The driver responsible fled but was later caught and sentenced to a decade in prison, a small measure of justice for a family grappling with an immense void.
Amid the sorrow, a small, poignant discovery emerged. When Samantha found her mother’s lost phone, she came across a photograph taken just moments before the accident. It was a picture of Scarlett, having just enjoyed ice cream, stopping to pick flowers in the driveway. The timestamp revealed it was captured a mere five minutes before her time of death. Initially, the image was a source of acute pain, a heartbreaking glimpse into the final seconds of her daughter’s innocent life.
As time has passed, Samantha’s perspective on that final photo has undergone a beautiful transformation. Where she once saw only tragedy, she now finds profound solace. She describes the picture as a blessing that captures the peaceful and happy feeling of Scarlett’s last moments. It allows her to forever picture her daughter as she truly was—joyful, carefree, and surrounded by natural beauty in the company of her loving grandmother and brother.
The family’s healing is an ongoing process, one that involves therapy and a deep reliance on faith. Samantha admits that some days she feels like she is drowning, while on others, she manages to tread water. Through it all, the last photo of Scarlett has become a cherished treasure, a tangible connection to a beautiful life and a reminder that her final moments on earth were filled with simple, perfect happiness.
