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Church Youth Director Dies in Car Crash Hours after Preaching about Heaven

Milton Quintanilla

A seminary student was killed in a car crash last week just hours after she had preached a message about heaven. 

Caylee Dugger, a church youth director, died in a three-vehicle wreck last Thursday while the other drivers survived, according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol. She was 30 at the time of her death. 

She also attended Midwestern Seminary and was supposed to graduate this spring with a Master of Theological Studies in missions degree.

During a sermon on Sunday, Pastor Mike Parrett of First Baptist Church North Kansas City in Missouri discussed Dugger’s death and shared that she had delivered a message on the promises of heaven, as found in Revelation 7:9-17.

“Dugger certainly knew the Lord Jesus Christ and had hope,” Parrett said. “On Thursday morning, it was her last time to teach here.”

The biblical text focuses on the theme of the worship of God and His protection in heaven.

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes,” verse 17 reads.

“Caylee is at the throne of the Lord. And He is there with her and she with Him, and she is worshiping Him, and He is loving her,” he said. 

According to CBN News, the church also aired a video of Duggar singing her original song titled “Hands.”

“In the midst of hard times, we can trust that, if we are in God’s hands, we are safe and secure, and our suffering is never for nothing,” she said.

Earlier this week, a GoFundMe for Dugger’s family was launched and has raised $24,000 as of Thursday.

“Our family experienced an unthinkable tragedy when our sister, Caylee, was killed in a car accident in Oklahoma while traveling from Kansas City to Texas on Thursday,” a GoFundMe description reads. “Her unexpected passing leaves a hole in our hearts, as well as many unforeseen expenses.”

Photo Credit: ©First Baptist Church North Kansas City/YouTube


Milton QuintanillaMilton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.