JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The brother of a 42-year-old Jacksonville woman who died last week after she drove around railroad crossing arms and was hit by an Amtrak passenger train on Jacksonville’s Westside told News4JAX that her life was an inspiration to all those around her.
Michael Dove says he’s received hundreds of messages about the impact his sister, Tiffany Dove, had on the lives of others since she died in the tragic crash.
“People have reached out to me from all the way to New York, you name it,” Michael said. “She was just reaching out to everyone and anyone that needed help, and Tiffany was always there for them."
Tiffany was also a woman grounded by her faith and an active church member at Eleven22.
“She loved going to church, loved talking about God and putting God first and everything that she did,” Michael said. I will definitely miss our daily prayers because we prayed a lot. We got each other through everything."
Michael said Tiffany, who leaves behind a 19-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter, was actually on her way to give a speech at a recovery meeting when she crossed in front of the train.
“She was trying to make it to class, and unfortunately she didn’t. But that’s who Tiffany was. No matter what, she wanted to be there to help people,” Michael said.
The deadly crash drew emergency crews to the railroad crossing at Roosevelt Boulevard and Timuquana Road just before 7:30 p.m. on July 22.
Video from the scene showed a badly damaged car crumpled under the Amtrak passenger train. Amtrak said none of the 385 passengers or crew on board were injured. (To read Amtrak’s statement on the crash, click here)
According to troopers, Tiffany was driving south on US 17 (Roosevelt Boulevard) when she turned right onto Timuquana Road, drove around the railroad crossing gates, and was hit by the train, which was headed north. Tiffany was wearing a seat belt but died at the scene.
Michael acknowledged that Tiffany had battled addiction, but she was determined to turn her life around and was going back to school for nursing.
"I’ve had people reach out to me and tell me how Tiffany saved their life by just being there in their circle through recovery," Michael said. “I’ve never met these people before, but I’ve received almost over 300 messages on Facebook that I still have to go through.”
Michael also shared his gratitude for those who were with Tiffany after the crash, including Misty Bouey, who witnessed the crash and recalled trying to help Tiffany during her last moments.
“I ran across the street, busted out windows, tried to cut off the seat belt. I held her hand. I was praying for her. She lasted about four minutes before she left,” she told News4JAX. “I was too short to reach into the car in order to be able to answer the phone. Someone was calling her on her Apple Watch, and they kept calling and calling.”
Bouey said she couldn’t imagine trying to break the news to whoever was calling.
“I thank you from the bottom of my heart to all who helped my sister that night, law enforcement, first responders, to anybody on the scene, nurses, just anybody. Thank you, God bless you," Michael said.
But he also wants Tiffany to be remembered for how she lived her life, not how she died.
“It’s not just a person that passed away on a track,” Michael said. “She really had a legacy about her, a mission about her to save lives, to help lives, to support others in need.”