In spring of 2017, Hannah Simmons, a 23-year-old mom from Gainesville, Georgia, was driving to a regular appointment with her nine-month-old baby, Alannah. Because Isabel had her best friend with her, it looked like just a regular excursion. In a short time, everything became different. A lack of control caused Hannah’s car to crash into the side of a truck. The effect was extremely serious. Hannah, her baby girl and her best friend lost their lives in the accident, leaving nobody but shattered families and a sea of grief.
After the accident, emergency services were dispatched, though those already there realized there was not much that could be done. When a baby, mother and grandmother died so suddenly, everyone watching was left shocked and profoundly saddened. Shortly after, the names of the victims were made known to their families and it broke their hearts. An ordinary day had turned into something terrible they had never thought possible.
Also that same morning, Anisa Gannon, who turned 19 that year, was heading to her place of work when she ran into the traffic gridlock brought on by the crash. To illustrate her delay to her employer, she quickly took a photo of what was happening with her phone.
It was only meant as a daily reminder of how crowded the streets were at that point. Anisa spotted something unusual when she went through the photo the next day: a very bright, thin beam of light reached straight down onto the wreckage from the sky. The beam was directed and stood out, clearing a path through the normal scene as if from a dream.
Looking at the picture, Anisa felt a duty to show it to the families of the victims. Hannah’s loved ones responded to the photo in an emotional and prompt way. It was not only the loss that made people cry; they also felt that it was a direct sign from God. When Tara looked at the photo, she said, “It appeared to me that they were on their way to heaven.”
Some pointed out that what many saw might only have been a reflection from Anisa’s windshield, but her family felt it was more than that. According to the emails, it wasn’t the science behind the image that mattered—they simply found meaning, hope and company for Hannah, Alannah and their close friend. It gave the families something to believe in—that their loved ones had gone to a place where there is no suffering.
Hannah’s mother, Jodi Simmons, clearly shared how comforting the image was for her. According to her, she truly believed the photograph showed the path to heaven which made her feel comforted as she faced her tremendous pain. For people who grieved her loss, the beam of light was not just something strange to see. It was an intentional sign.
Losing a loved one so unpredictably and tragically creates a hole that cannot be filled by anything else. Signs, both seen as spiritual and as religious symbols, may help those left behind find comfort. They suggest that those who have passed might actually still be watching us from another peaceful spot.
Although uncomfortable to read about, the narrative about Hannah Simmons, her daughter and her friend holds a small ray of hope—both real and symbolic. When we share that light, others could feel a bit of hope, more comfort and greater belief in something beyond our world.
