Mythbusters star Jessi Combs tragically passed away in a car crash on Tuesday, at age 36.
According to Jalopnik, Jessi’s family released the following statement confirming her death:
“It is with extreme grief, and in celebration of her life that her family and close friends share that race car driver, and TV personality Jessi Combs, passed away in a fatal crash, where she was pursuing a land speed record in the North American Eagle on August, 27th 2019 on a dry lake bed in Oregon. The details of the crash have not been released at this time.”
The Harney County Sheriff’s Office told People that they received a call around 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday reporting a jet car-crash in the Alvord Desert in southeastern Oregon.
Deputies at the scene identified the driver and sole fatality in the vehicle as professional racer Jessi Combs.
The cause of the crash remains unknown.
WATCH: Jessi Combs’ team member Terry Madden pays tribute
Terry Madden – a close friend of Jessi and a member of her team – paid tribute to his colleague on Instagram yesterday.
The racer shared a beautiful montage video of their time together, with the following caption:
“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 @thejessicombs 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.”
Terry went on to say that he was the first one at the scene and that they 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,” he continued, and also urged her friends to “take a deep breath, relax and do good things with this.”
“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.”
According to Heavy, Jessi had been attempting to beat her own 4-wheel land speed record when she was killed in the Alvord Desert.
Her previous record, set in 2013, was 640 km per hour.
The 36-year-old drove a North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger, a modified F-104 jet with 52,000-horsepower, to achieve her record on a 20-km course.
In doing so, Combs broke the record held by Lee Breedlove since 1965.
According to Jessi’s website, she was “born in the Black Hills of Rapid City, SD. With a lifelong desire to become a race car driver, this fearless young lady found a love for speed and its machines at a very young age.”
Her last words on Instagram were, “I just want to thank all of you for your support and loyalty.”
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