ANDERSON, S.C. – An Anderson County family is grieving the loss of a young mom who was killed in a crash over Memorial Day weekend.
Late Friday night, on her way home from work 18-year- old Haley Kiley’s life was cut too short.
“It’s not her. It can’t be her,” Ashley Paige, Haley’s older sister recalled after getting the tragic call that night. “They’ve got it wrong. It is all wrong.”
State troopers say she lost control of her car, crossed a grassy median on Clemson Blvd. before slamming into an SUV. The coroner said she died on the scene.
“I wanted what was best for her. I always wanted to protect her,” Ashley said. “I always wanted so much more for her.”
Haley leaves behind a new 3-month-old baby boy and a big family. Now, they’re doing what they can to make sure her memory lives on for her son.
“Every day, we will tell him how amazing she was and how beautiful and how much she loved him and that she would give anything for him,” added Jennifer Kiley, Haley’s mom.
Her sister says she enjoyed being a new mom. “She did it all happily. It was the best thing that ever happened to her. She loved every second of being a mom and you could see it on her face when she looked at him.”
Family and friends say Haley was smart and determined. She graduated early from Crescent High School in 2014. She worked at Smiley’s Café in Iva for 4 years before moving from there to Anderson. Just weeks ago, she got a new job at J. Peter’s to take care of her son.
“Watching her grow up and be a mom herself, she was amazing. She embraced it and she was wonderful. She was everything to me,” her mom said behind tears.
Her family said Haley liked to draw and was passionate about cosmetology. She was preparing to go to school. They said she had dreams of opening up her own salon and being her own boss.
“She was so funny and she was so kind hearted,” said Ashley.
“She was really happy,” her mom continued. “She didn’t care what people thought but she loved everyone and everyone loved her. She was bubbly and she would do anything for you.”
The teen’s Facebook has turned into a growing memorial. Her family and closes friends say she was loved by many.
“We were each other’s backbone. I needed her and I still do,” Paula Eskew said. “I can’t imagine her not walking through my door again. She was someone I could be goofy with, have adventures with. She was like my soul mate.”
“Haley was a beautiful person and beautiful soul. She touched every person she met,” Kenneth Paige, her brother-in-law said.
“She was the type of person who you could have known her for a day, but if you said hey, I need you, she would drop everything to help,” Page Chastain, her longtime friend explained. “Anytime I said hey, I need someone to talk to, she was there in 2 seconds.”
“She was so full of life and the way she loved her son…” Casey Smith said, pausing to cry. It was too hard for her to continue.
The family has plans for a memorial in Haley’s honor. Funeral arrangements have not been made.
