George McManus broke down Wednesday night on North Milwaukee at County Road 6300. His girlfriend, Vickie Ellison came to help McManus boost his van. While in-between the two vehicles, a 1996 Dodge pickup crashed into the back of the van causing serious injuries.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said McManus was transported to University Medical Center and later passed away the following morning.
His daughter, Shadoe Ledbetter said she met her father at the hospital, and had to make the call to terminate life support.
“I never in a million years thought that something so tragic would happen,” Ledbetter said.
Ledbetter said her father had moved to Lubbock a few years ago, after she had found him and rekindled their relationship.
The day of the accident, Ledbetter said she saw her father and he had been having some car trouble.
“Even the day he came over I had to jump him twice before it started for him to leave,” Ledbetter said.
Ledbetter said she is having a very hard time trying to cope with this tragic accident, and now just wants to honor her father’s final wish.
“He wanted to be cremated and be sent back to Ohio,” Ledbetter said. “He said we could cremate him and put him in a tin can and he would be happy as long as he got to go home.”
Ledbetter said she hopes from this whole situation people will realize the importance of paying attention to the road, especially when it is dark outside.
“I think if maybe they weren’t going as fast as they were that maybe it wouldn’t have been as bad,” Ledbetter said.
Ledbetter said her family has started a GoFundMe, and we have provided a link to that below if you would wish to donate.
