A volleyball standout, Alivia Mynes had just completed her first year playing for Bryan College. The 18-year-old was home in Canton for the Thanksgiving holiday when tragedy struck Thursday morning.
The Mynes family was traveling in an SUV when they were hit by a pickup truck, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Alivia and her father, 52-year-old Chris Mynes, died in the crash. Her mother and teenage sister survived with minor injuries.
“Alivia was loved by many and will be remembered for her kind, sweet, beautiful spirit,” a post on the Creekview High School volleyball team’s Facebook page stated Friday.
Alivia was a 2022 graduate of Creekview, where her sister still attends, according to the family.
“Chris was a devoted father to his two daughters and the love of Jennifer’s life,” the Facebook post stated. “Sydney is a junior volleyball player at Creekview and hopes to be released from the hospital today with minor injuries.”
Jennifer Mynes was released from the hospital and is recovering at home, the family friend posted online.
The crash happened on Knox Bridge Highway near Scott Hudgens Drive in Canton around 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the sheriff’s office said. A Ford F-150 driven by a 24-year-old man was traveling east, while the family was driving west in their Nissan Armada.
According to the sheriff’s office, the F-150 crossed the center line and hit the Armada. Chris Mynes, who was driving, and Alivia, who was sitting in the back seat, were both killed in the collision. Jennifer and Sydney Mynes were both taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
The driver of the truck was also taken to Kennestone with non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office said. He was not publicly identified and no details were released about possible charges.
Two other cars were involved in the crash, according to the sheriff’s office, but no injuries were reported in either vehicle.
Bryan College posted the news on multiple social media accounts Friday. Alivia, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, was in her first semester at the Dayton, Tennessee, school.
“Our prayers and support are with the family during this unimaginably difficult time,” Bryan College posted.
A teammate of Alivia’s created a GoFundMe page dedicated to the Mynes family.
“They need our love, support, and to have some sense of peace and comfort in their hearts and finances. This devastating loss is near unbearable,” Sadie Jo McTaggart, the fundraiser’s organizer, wrote on the page.
Funeral arrangements for the daughter and father were pending.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, at least 10 people were killed in crashes in the state between Thanksgiving and Friday afternoon.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
