Willie Spence: Details Of His Car Crash Revealed After Tragic Death Of American Idol Finalist

New details person emerged of the Oct. 11 tragic car mishap that took the life of Willie Spence, the beloved American Idol runner-up from Season 19. The 23-year-old talented vocalist was driving his 2019 Jeep Cherokee connected Interstate 24 East successful Marion County astatine astir 4 p.m. connected Tuesday erstwhile helium exited the road and crashed into a tractor-trailer, which was stopped connected the shoulder, according to a report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Willie was wearing a spot loop astatine the clip of the fatal incident. The operator of the tractor-trailer was uninjured, per the report.

New details emerged of Willie Spence’s fatal car accident. (ABC)

The singer’s section newspaper, Douglas Now, was archetypal to study the quality of his decease on Facebook. “He was an bonzer endowment and a ray of airy to millions crossed the world,” the outlet added. “He volition beryllium missed.”

The rising star, who spoke with HollywoodLife successful 2021 astir his vocation ambitions, was paid tribute to by the world amusement connected Instagram pursuing his death. The station included a montage of Willie’s champion moments from the season, including his second-place finish. “We are devastated astir the passing of our beloved American Idol household member, Willie Spence. He was a existent endowment who lit up each country helium entered and volition beryllium profoundly missed. We nonstop our condolences to his loved ones,” the amusement wrote successful the caption.

American Idol judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie besides shared heartbreaking messages for the erstwhile contestant. Katy gushed, “I emotion you Willie. … Sing with the angels my darling.” Luke said Willie lit up each country helium walked into, adding,“He could alteration the temper instantly erstwhile helium started singing. He volition genuinely beryllium missed.” Lionel, meanwhile, wrote, “Your airy volition ever radiance successful this world. We were truthful blessed to get a accidental to spot you shine. My thoughts and prayers are with Willie’s family. Rest good my friend.”

Katharine McPhee, who performed with Willie during his clip on Idol, was 1 of the archetypal stars to react, taking to her Instagram Story soon aft the announcement, writing, “Life is truthful unfair and thing is ever promised.” She added, “God remainder your psyche Willie. It was a pleasance to sing with you and to cognize you.”

Willie had posted a clip of himself singing successful a parked car connected Instagram conscionable hours earlier his death. The beauteous ballad was heartbreaking, arsenic fans began to flood the remark conception erstwhile the quality of his passing spread. “You genuinely were and volition ever beryllium specified a acquisition to us,” 1 wrote, portion different shared, “One of the astir benignant and genuine radical I’ve ever endured. One of the astir talented artists I’ve ever had the privilege of moving with.”

During his phenomenal tally connected American Idol, Willie won implicit fans’ hearts with his large dependable and adjacent bigger smile. He besides had an unthinkable communicative of overcoming immoderate wellness challenges earlier his audition. Willie had revealed helium was hospitalized with fluid successful his lungs, a complication from weighing implicit 600 pounds. This encouraged him to suffer 200 pounds earlier helium stepped connected signifier successful beforehand of the judges.

“I conscionable privation my dependable to scope the satellite and conscionable stock my acquisition — hopefully winning a Grammy 1 day, that’s wherever I spot myself successful 5 years,” Willie told the judges astatine the audition. “It’s gonna instrumentality hard work, but I consciousness similar I tin bash it.”

Willie would marque it each the mode to the Final 3, wherever helium would extremity up taking 2nd spot to Chace Beckham. “I americium going to propulsion harder and inactive beryllium doing music,” Willie told HollywoodLife and different media outlets aft the finale. “This is decidedly not the end. This is simply a caller opening for my vocation and I americium excited!”