Homewood-Flossmoor HS senior killed in Bishop Ford crash hours after prom: 'A beautiful soul'

FLOSSMOOR, Ill. (WLS) -- Homewood-Flossmoor High School students gathered on Monday to honor the life of an 18-year-old who died in a car crash early Sunday morning.

ABC7 spoke with a longtime friend of Tom'Mya Lyons, who died just hours after her prom, wearing a bright blue dress.

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Family, friends and fellow students released blue balloons in her honor.

"She had on this bright blue dress; that's why we all got on blue. This bright blue dress, her hair was all curly. She looked good. She didn't even get to make it home. She didn't get to take off her dress," said Dylan Kenebrew, Lyons' friend.

Kenebrew said he knew Lyons since the sixth grade, and he last saw her at prom on Saturday night.

Kenebrew says Lyons was a one-of-kind type of friend.

"She was a beautiful soul, joking and laughing, smiling. She was on the step team. They had a performance a couple days ago, at her decision day, she was front row in the center, like she always is. She's just good person. It's sad it had to happen to her," Kenebrew said.

A 16-year-old boy, who Lyons' family says was her boyfriend, was driving on the northbound Bishop Ford Freeway, with the 18-year-old in the passenger seat. That's when the car veered off the road near Sibley Boulevard around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, Illinois State Police said.

Lyons died at the hospital, and her boyfriend is expected to be OK.

Lyons' stepfather, Charles Parker, says the family is at a loss for words, but he shared just how much loving energy the high school senior always brought to those around her.

"It was her hopes and dreams to be something. She wanted to be an entrepreneur. She wanted to learn how to DJ. She wanted to learn how to do hair. She had multiple things she wanted to do, and I'm just mad she got cut short of that," Parker said. "She loved music. She was into step at her school. She loved to dance. She was quiet, and at the same time, she was ambitious."

Kenebrew says Lyons planned to go to cosmetology school after graduation, which is next month.

"It's tragic, because we're about to graduate," Kenebrew said. "We're just all sad, but you can't be sad forever, and that's why we're here we're gonna celebrate her today."

Homewood-Flossmoor High School Principal Dr. Clinton Alexander is encouraging students to do just that. He gave ABC7 a statement, saying, "Please be gentle with yourselves and extend grace to those around you. I'm holding each of you in my thoughts today. Let's carry on in Viking fashion, with strength, compassion, and unity-in honor of Tom'Mya Lyons."

Calumet City Ald. Dr. Monet S. Wilson said in a statement, "Sending prayers and condolences to the family of this talented beauty, Tom'Mya Lyons. God we ask you to keep her wrapped in your embrace. Please keep her entire family lifted in prayer. Bring her parents a peace that surpasses our own understanding. God watch over her prom date. Pray for the Homewood-Flossmoor High School community, her friends, classmates, educators, and administrators as they too are forever changed!

To our HF babies, we are a phone call away should you need me or Coach Courtland."

Prior to the crash, the Live Free 999 Foundation had planned a Monday night mental health awareness event for students at Homewood-Flossmoor. That event will still happen at 6 p.m., and perhaps, that is where students can get help on finding ways to heal from this tragedy.

The school says it is making resources available to students who need them.

Lyons leaves behind her parents, step-siblings and an 8-month-old little brother.