Race Car Driver & TV Host Jessi Combs Dead At 36 — Here's What We Know
Rest in peace, Jessi Combs.
Instagram The news has just been released about her passing, and needless to say, the reason for her passing is absolutely devastating (and preventable). How did Jessi Combs die?
Let's look at what we know about the tragic death of this woman, who is gone far too soon.
1. She was known as the "Fastest Woman on Four Wheels."
According to Jalopnik, Jessi Combs was such a well-respected race car driver that she was known as the "Fastest Woman on Four Wheels." She earned the title after she broke 398 mph in the North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger in 2013.
2. Jessi Combs was on several television shows.
KABC-TV reported that Jessi Combs was on several television shows. Some of the shows she appeared on included Mythbusters, Break Room, Overhaulin', and All Girls Garage.
3. The accident happened in Oregon.
According to Fox News, the accident happened on a dry lake bed in Oregon. Incidentally, this same dry lake bed was the location of Jessi Combs' previous world record-shattering event.
4. Jessi Combs' boyfriend, Terry Madden, was on the scene.
"So I don’t know how to say any of this but it all needs said. I have never loved or been loved by anyone as much as this amazing woman Jessi Combs, 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. 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!! I’m not ok, but she is right here keeping my 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.. we the family have drafted a release and it will come out today with more proper info, but I was just waking up by the media tracking me down and I need every one of her true friends to do what she would want “take a deep breath, relax” and do good things with this. Please donate to nothing, I know there will be people try, we are finishing the documentary as she wished and the world will know the truth and her foundation will use those funds to do amazing things in this world and make her legacy live on properly. In the coming days, her family and I will get the proper channels put together that you can then donate to that foundation but until you hear it from me wait please-I don’t want some asshole profiting off this (already had one try to sell us a video). 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," he wrote in an Instagram post.
5. Many people spoke out in the wake of her death.
According to Pop Culture, official statements from the likes of the Discovery Channel, MotorTrend, and even some of her former colleagues came pouring in the minute the word of her death got out.
6. Jessi Combs' official cause of death has not been released.
According to NBC News, even though it seems like Jessi Combs died as a result of the crash in the desert, her official cause of death has not been released.
Our thoughts are with Jessi Combs' family during this difficult time.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.