Family and Community Mourn the Loss of Katelyn Ray

Details from investigators revealed that the force of impact sent Katelyn’s car crashing into the rear of the school bus. As word spread, her sister Courtney Pettit turned to social media in a desperate search for answers, only to learn soon after of the tragic outcome.

Family members spoke of the unimaginable pain they now carry. “It’s hard to picture what happened out there,” said Stephanie Pettit, Katelyn’s aunt. Her mother described her daughter as vibrant and outgoing, a young woman who had recently started GED classes at the WIN Job Center and had proudly earned her driver’s license just two months before the accident.

The Panola County community has rallied around the Ray family in mourning, with the Mississippi Highway Patrol continuing its investigation into the crash. For loved ones and friends, Katelyn’s loss stands as a painful reminder of how fragile life on the road can be.