A 50-year-old mother was crushed to death in a freak accident involving a float while watching the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Louisville, Kentucky.
According to tragic reports, Joan Pottinger was in attendance at the Ancient Order of Hibernians Parade on Saturday, March 14, when her foot somehow got caught under a float.
The vehicle then crushed her to death, with Pottinger’s husband, Tony Pottinger, describing the heartbreaking event as “freak accident”.
Police reports detail how the mom of two was rushed to University of Louisville Hospital, where she sadly succumbed to her injuries.
“Joan, like the saint for whom she was named, was fiercely loyal and faithful. She was (and remains) the light of our lives as a mom, wife, and friend,” Tony told WLKR.
“We are a military family, and before settling in our forever home in Louisville, we made multiple moves.”
“In every community, Joan has been a passionate force for good, volunteering her time and helping those in need, including in her most recent work, fundraising for Best Buddies. We are blessed at the outpouring of community support as we mourn our loss.”
The Archdiocese of Louisville also shared a statement of condolence. “I was saddened to learn about the death of Joan Pottinger, a parent of St. Agnes Catholic School and parishioner of St. Agnes Church, who was killed Saturday at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” the statement read.
“I want to express my condolences to her husband and her children as they deal with this profound loss. Furthermore, I want to extend my sympathy to the St. Agnes community who knew and loved Joan. Please know we are grieving with you.”
Pottinger’s obituary described her as a woman who loved her Italian and Irish heritage.
“Joan passed away on a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon after spending time celebrating her Irish heritage with family and friends,” the obituary reads.
“She always loved a good parade. She was equally proud of her Italian ancestry and was quick with a joke but even quicker with a kind word.”
A GoFundMe page established to help Tony Pottinger and the couple’s daughters has raised over $80,000 at the time of writing.
Rest in peace, Joan.
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