Mom of 3 killed in car accident, family raising funds for children

ATLANTA - Brionna Johnson moved to the Atlanta area from New Jersey about two and a half years ago. She and her three children stayed with her parents while her son underwent sickle cell treatments at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

She worked hard to realize her dream of owning her first home.

That dream became a reality for the 32-year-old and her three children, 7-year-old Skylar, 6-year-old Caleb, and 2-year-old Xana, when Johnson purchased a townhome in Lithonia in August.

"She was so proud, and we were so proud of her," Johnson's mother Sonya Harris told FOX 5's Deidra Dukes.

Johnson was driving to her new house with her children in tow, when her car was struck head-on by an SUV on Hillandale Drive Wednesday night.

The family shared a video of the aftermath of the crash. Firefighters had to use the jaws of life to free Johnson from the vehicle.

A bystander called Harris from the accident scene to tell her that Johnson and her grandchildren were involved in a bad wreck, and that they would follow the ambulance to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to be with the children until family members could get there.

"It was still a miracle that any of the children survived," said Harris. "The baby was unconscious. She arrived at the hospital unconscious."

Medics rushed Johnson to Grady Memorial Hospital. She died at the hospital.

Johnson wrote children's books about sickle cell anemia and chronic illness after her son was diagnosed with the disease. (FOX 5 Atlanta)

Johnson was an Army veteran.  She worked as a bus driver for Gwinnett Public Schools and was an entrepreneur. She wrote children's books about sickle cell anemia and chronic illness after her son was diagnosed with the disease. Started also started a non-profit.

"She honestly, from the day she was born, had a heart of gold and people just felt it about her," Harris said.

Her family is now raising funds to purchase the home for Johnson's children.

"Our goal is to make sure the mortgage is paid, and put the house in [a] trust for her children, our grandchildren," said Harris. "She worked hard and that was her goal, to make sure the children were taken care of."

The family has started a GoFundMe to help in the purchase of Johnson's residence.