Mother Of 3 Killed In Horrifying Tree Accident In Philadelphia

A family in Philadelphia is in mourning following the loss of a wife and mother in a freak accident. The woman was a nurse practitioner who was driving to work at the time of the incident. Since then, the woman’s family has also opened up about what happened.

The Nurse Was On Her Way To Work When A Tree-Related Accident Occurred

Maria Camela Lazo-Hannecart, a 44-year-old nurse practitioner, was driving to her job at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center on October 30. The woman was a mother of three children, aged 3, 7 and 9.

However, tragedy struck when she was driving along West School House Lane. It was then that a large tree fell and hit her car.

police lights wikimedia commons — Police lights – Wikimedia Commons

The nurse, known as “Ella” to her family and friends, was reportedly killed instantly. According to 6ABC, police shared the tragic news with her husband, Pierre Hannecart, on the day of the incident.

Pierre recalled, “He goes, ‘Well, I have something to tell you that’s going to harm you. Then he told me this tragedy, this awful story about the tree that fell on the car … I couldn’t believe it.”

Pierre continued, “She grabbed my hand on the back and she held it ever since — until last Wednesday.” He also opened up about having to share the heartbreaking news with their three children. The mourning husband noted, “I put them next to each other. I told them, ‘What I’m going to tell you is going to change your life forever. They all cried at the same time, and we all hugged each other.”

‘Ella’ Was Known For Her Giving Spirit, Having Met Her Spouse While At Doctors Without Borders

According to an obituary, Maria was described as “a loving wife, Super mom, sweet daughter, loyal sister and fierce friend.” Originally from the Philippines, she was said to have been born in “historic Manila.”

Described as “Ella,” she was noted to have moved to Philadelphia in 1991 with her siblings as a child. Her generous spirit was emphasized, with the piece noting, “volunteer outreach service brought her to the Congo, Senegal and Haiti.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 6abc (@6abcactionnews)

She reportedly met Pierre while at Doctors Without Borders, with the two having a civil marriage in November of 2015 and tying the knot with a parish marriage in March of 2023.

In a statement, Pierre shared that he hopes his wife’s values live on. He shared, “Say the truth. Be compassionate and honest. This is what I would say because this is who she was, and this is how she has to be remembered.” A GoFundMe has also been launched on behalf of Maria’s children.

In addition to Pierre, Maria is survived by their three children together: Ethan, 9, Noemi, 7, and Tristan, 3. As shared by the obituary, a funeral and celebration of life had been held at Our Mother of Consolation Parish in Philadelphia on November 9, 2025. The parish had notably streamed the funeral mass online.

What is your reaction to this story? Have you recently heard of similar stories? Make sure you come back to TV Shows Ace for all the latest TV and celebrity news.