Community rallies around family of Portland woman killed in crash

Middletown Press, The (CT)

Nov. 14--PORTLAND -- Police continue to investigate a head-on collision on Nov. 5 that took the life of a 51-year-old Main Street woman.

Meanwhile, stunned by the loss of Traci Lyn Carey, family and friends have rallied to organize a Go Fund Me page to help assist Carey's two daughters.

Carey died when her car was struck head-on by a motorist who crossed over into her lane on the Glastonbury Turnpike near the intersection of Apple Tree Lane, according to authorities.

The other driver, who has been identified as Adam Lopez, remains a patient in Hartford Hospital.

He was listed in fair condition Friday morning, police said.

Lopez, who police said did not have a license, was driving a Honda Accord he had apparently borrowed when it struck Carey's northbound Honda Fit.

Lopez was was pulled from the burning wreckage of his car by Officer D. J. Brown, who fought through thick smoke and flames to rescue him.

Police said Friday they believe Lopez is in his late 30s or early 40s and that his last known address was in Hartford.

In the wake of the accident, a group of Traci Carey's friends launched the effort to provide a measure of support from Carey's daughters, Nicole, 22, and Tarrah, 21.

Joining together under the name "Friends of the Carey Family," the friends have set a goal of $25,000 to assist the girls.

As of Friday afternoon, the fund had received nearly $15,000 in donations.

The death of their mother is a doubly tragic event for the two young women. Their father, Mark Carey, died of cancer in 2005.

Nancy DeGroff, a Berlin resident, said her daughter Olivia has been friends with Nicole -- whom she calls "Nikki" -- since first grade.

"She's really a wonderful girl," DeGroff said during a telephone interview Friday.

DeGroff described Carey as "a lovely woman" who kept "a warm, safe house" for her daughters.

On the Go Fund Me page, Carey is described as a "beautiful, loving mother...whose world revolved around her daughters."

As Olivia and Nikki Carey grew up together, DeGroff said she always had "a warm spot for Nikki in my heart."

As a student at Berlin High School, Nikki Carey earned a four-year scholarship from the Berlin Kiwanis Club. She graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a degree in finance and is currently working for an investment firm.

Tarrah Carey is a student at Central.

DeGroff said Nikki Carey has "a strong circle of friends" who are providing her with "emotional support."

The two girls are also drawing upon their paternal aunt for support as well.

On the Go Fund Me page, the friends who organized the crowd-funding effort wrote: "At this time when our world is filled with such uncertainty and unrest we hope you can help us show Nikki and Tarrah that there is also tremendous goodness and love."

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