Gone but never forgotten. Jessi Combs’ family reflected on her lasting legacy after the MythBusters star’s untimely death at the age of 39.
“It is with extreme grief, and in celebration of her life that her family and close friends share that race car driver, and TV personality Jessi Combs, passed away in a fatal crash, where she was pursuing a land speed record in the North American Eagle on August 27, 2019 on a dry lake bed in Oregon,” the family began in statement to car publication Jalopnik on Thursday, August 29, noting that “the details of the crash have not been released at this time.”
The family wrote that Combs was known “for her bright smile, positivity, and tenacious pursuit of the fulfillment of her dreams.”
“Her drive was infectious, and she served as a role model for young girls, and women around the world,” the statement read. “People that loved her and followed her became family, all bonded together by adventure and passion. Her fans adored her, and she lived to inspire them. Jessi’s most notable dream was to become the fastest woman on Earth, a dream she had been chasing since 2012. Combs was one of the rare dreamers with the bravery to turn those possibilities into reality, and she left this earth driving faster than any other woman in history.”
The statement concluded: “A celebration of Jessi’s life in being planned and a foundation is being created to continue her efforts to empower women and young girls to follow their dreams.”
News broke on Wednesday, August 28, that Combs died while trying to surpass her own land speed record in a jet-powered vehicle in the Alvort desert in Oregon.
Combs’ boyfriend, Terry Madden, shared a lengthy tribute to the TV personality on Wednesday via Instagram.
“I have never loved or been loved by anyone as much as this amazing woman @thejessicombs she was truly my unicorn and I enjoyed every single minute that I had with her. She was the most amazing spirit that I have ever or will ever know,” he wrote alongside a video tribute. “Unfortunately we lost her yesterday in a horrific accident, I was the first one there and trust me we did everything humanly possible to save her!!”
While Madden admitted that he is “not OK,” he knows Combs is still by his side.
“She is right here keeping [me] going — I made her a promise that if this didn’t go well that I would make sure and do good with it, please help me with that, you are all going to see things on news please believe non of them,” he wrote. “Love you all and thank you all for being such amazing friends to her, she dedicated her life to helping support others dreams and I promise I will continue that.”
