Family shares legacy of Williamson County graduate killed near Florida State University

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – It’s been just over one month since 20-year-old Ellie Sims died after being struck by a car near the Florida State University (FSU) campus. 

According to the Tallahassee Police Department, Ellie was using the designated crosswalk just before 7 p.m. on April 29 when she was hit and killed by a car being driven by 18-year-old Willis Trueblood Jr. who drove off after the incident.

Authorities tracked down and arrested Trueblood two hours later. He faces charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death, which is punishable by up to 30 years in prison. 

Ellie was in Tallahassee finishing up her sophomore year at FSU when the tragedy happened. Her parents, Kristen and John Sims, said they headed there from Franklin as soon as they could, devastated and in disbelief. 

“She pressed the button, the lights were flashing, she was cleared to cross, so she was doing all the right things and this terrible thing happened to her,” Kristen said.

The loss of Ellie has been extremely hard on her parents, but they said the outpouring of love they’ve received from people in Tennessee and Florida has made coping with the heartbreak a bit simpler. 

“The support has been everything to us,“ John said. “Her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega, took us in and they gave us a place to stay, they helped us navigate the university, they planned the memorial for her, they planned the lighting ceremony that they had on the Wednesday after she was killed. It's really been amazing.”

“So many people were reaching out to us,” Kristen said. “When we drove home, we came into our neighborhood and just saw the teal bows all over the mailbox, all over the lampposts, and I broke down into tears. It was just so touching.”

Ellie’s parents said it’s been heartwarming to see how many lives she touched during her short time on earth.

“There were so many girls that had personal stories about Ellie's impact and the way that she was always so positive and lit up a room,” John said. “It was one of the most fulfilling things to know that other people saw what we saw.”

John described her as a free spirit and a bright light who was so loved by many.

“You hear a lot of the platitudes about her and the woman that she had become, this very strong positive influence,” John said. “Fierce is used a lot, fearless is used a lot, but at the end of the day, Ellie was still a 20-year-old woman, so she had all the same fears, anxieties, and concerns. She spent a lot of time contemplating what was going to be her impact on life, but she was never defined by her fears. She always would step into her fears and embrace them.”

Her parents said although Ellie’s life was taken away too soon, her legacy of positivity and resilience will live on forever.

“Ellie would want everyone out there to be true to yourself, live your authentic life and do it unapologetically,” John said. “You're perfect just the way you are, so go out there and live your life and enjoy it because it, unfortunately, can be a lot shorter.”

Ellie’s sorority sisters said she was a huge “foodie” who spent a lot of time meal-prepping in the  Alpha Chi Omega sorority house’s kitchenette. They plan to honor her memory by naming the kitchenette after her when their new house is built next year.

The sorority said it partnered with Ellie’s family to establish the ‘Ellie Sims Memorial Fund’. If you would like to donate, click here. 

There’s also a petition in the works to add a traffic light at the crosswalk where Ellie was struck. Her parents hope that changes are made in Tallahassee to prevent this from happening to anyone else in the future.

Additionally, a GoFundMe page was created in Ellie’s honor to help her family with unexpected expenses and their efforts to advocate for pedestrian safety.