Tanner Chaise Cason, 23, husband of Michelle
Davis Cason, died Monday, August 1, 2006.
Born in Greenwood August 2, 1982; he was a
son of Terry and Tiara Stephenson Cason.
He was a Greenwood High School graduate and
attended Piedmont Technical College. Mr. Cason
was employed by Goodrich as a welder and was a
member of Grace Community Church. He was also the
lead guitarist with the band SplitSickSwayz.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents,
Tommy Cason, Mr. and Mrs. G. Y. Vines; and great grandparents,Pauline Taylor Stephenson and LG Carroll.
Surviving is his wife of the home, his parents of
Troy, grandparents, Julia Vines Cason of Greenwood,
Ed and Irma C. Ramsey of Abbington, VA; great
grandfather, Roy P. Stephenson of Greenwood;
a great-grand-mother Maude Carroll of
Sandersville, GA; a sister Christen Brianna Cason
of Greenwood, two brothers, Brandon Terry Cason
and Levi Chad Cason both of Greenwood; and a nephew,
Tristen Isaiah Cason of Greenwood. Services will
be 2:00 PM Saturday at Grace Community Church with
the Reverend Rod Shultz and John Walsh officiating.
Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Tony Wilson,Danny Coursey,
Robert Vines, Darren DeLouch, Ray Pulley,
Jimmy Owens and Jerry Goodman. The family will
receive friends on Friday at Harley Funeral Home from
6:00 until 8:00 PM. Memorials may be made to Capital
Bank Michelle Cason, 109 Montague Avenue
Greenwood,SC 29646. The family is at the home of
his parents, Terry & Tiara S. Cason, 2624 Scotts
Ferry Road, Kirksey.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Though Michelle Cason doesn't remember any details
about the night of Aug. 1, it will be a date she and
her family members will never forget.
It was on that night that Cason and her husband,
23-year-old Tanner Chaise Cason, were involved in a
deadly two-car wreck at the intersection of S.C. Bypass
225 and Florida Avenue, about a half-mile west of
Greenwood. Tanner, an avid musician and a welder
with the Goodrich Corp., was fatally injured in the
wreck. He died just one day before his 24th birthday.
Three weeks later, Michelle, 24, has recovered enough
to return home, after spending time in hospitals in Greenwood, Columbia and Greenville.
Her arm and leg are wrapped in pearly-white casts,
and injuries to her pelvis and tailbone have kept her wheelchair-bound since the wreck. Occupational and
physical therapists visit her twice a week for 45-minute sessions, and family, friends and visitors flow through
her sister's Greenwood home — where she is staying until she recovers — throughout the day.
The constant activity helps keep Michelle's mind off the other consequences of the wreck, she said.
"I constantly have people here," she said, "which is good. I haven't had time at all to think about everything."
The wreck occurred just after 9 p.m. when a reported
stolen car collided with the Casons' sport utility
vehicle at the intersection. The other vehicle, a Ford Escort driven by 26-year-old Antwon Lanier, disregarded
the stop sign on Florida Avenue and collided with the driver's side of the Casons' Jeep Grand Cherokee with enough force to push the sport utility vehicle 25 yards from the roadway, police reports said.
Lanier was injured in the wreck, and his passenger,
16-year-old Greenwood resident Amber Nicole Hamilton,
was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. She was flown to a hospital in Greenville, where she later died from her injuries.
Michelle and Tanner had visited Tanner's family in the hours before the wreck, making plans for his birthday
and sharing in his excitement for an upcoming job interview, Tanner's mother, Tiara Cason, said.
"He was amazing," Tiara said of her son. "He was very focused on his music, and he was a very honorable son
and husband. They (Tanner and Michelle) loved each other like I have never seen a married couple love each other."
Tiara said her son was a lead guitarist in a local band, adding that he had just signed a contract and had begun
to schedule performances.
"He was really excited about his life," Tiara said.
"He was really living his dream. He was just on the
verge of accomplishing the long-term goals he had set
as a child."
Michelle said it was Tanner's talent, passion and compassion for others that drew her to him. The pair,
who had known each other since middle school, began
dating after Michelle listened to him perform. They
had been married a little more than a year.
"He was a wonderful husband, and he was everything that
I ever wanted," Michelle said. "We had so much in common, and he was loving and caring — not just for me, but for everyone else.
"He was my best friend," Michelle said.
Michelle hasn't been back to her home since the wreck,
but Tiara said she and her family have made the
difficult trip. Those "first" moments — seeing Tanner
and Michelle's home and Tanner's belongings for the
first time after his death — were emotional for the family, Tiara said. "This is still very difficult for all of us, but we have been able to progress a little further into
the grief process than Michelle because she has been in
the hospital," Tiara said. "All those first little things we were able to touch and see and feel that were so dear
to Tanner, Michelle has not been able to do those things yet to progress to the point where we are."
But when Michelle is ready to go home, Tiara said family members will be there to support her. That support has already been a big part of helping Michelle and Tiara
make it through the past three weeks.
"If it hadn't been for the love of family, our church family and our faith in God, I know I couldn't have survived this," Tiara said. "The community's support
has been wonderful."
Tiara said she has spoken with Hamilton's family,
adding that they have made plans to do some things
together to help cope with their losses.
"They are hurting like we are hurting," Tiara said.
"We are just there for each other."
Michelle and Tiara said the few moments of the day
when family and friends aren't around are the most difficult.
"When the night falls and everything is quiet and
everybody is gone, that is when we are left with our
own thoughts and that's when all the longing and missing him comes in," Tiara said. "The emptiness is always
going to be there. You just have to learn how to deal
with it." The family has not only had to deal with
grief in the wake of the wreck, but also anger at the
fact that the wreck even occurred.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol charged Lanier with
three counts of felony DUI following the wreck, and Greenwood Police Department officials had attempted to
stop the man just moments before the wreck occurred. Reports said Lanier sped away from police at the traffic stop and officers lost sight of the vehicle. When the officers arrived at the intersection of Florida Avenue
and Bypass 225, the wreck had already happened.
The feeling of anger, Tiara said, didn't hit her until
she went to a salvage yard to retrieve her son's
belongings from his vehicle. As she was climbing out
of the twisted metal that had been Tanner's Jeep Grand Cherokee, Tiara said she saw the Ford Escort that had
been involved in the wreck. "When I looked in (
the Ford Escort) and saw the Budweiser can in the
back floorboard, the senselessness of all this came
rushing down on me, and I became angry at that moment,"
she said. "For me, (getting over that anger) has been
a lot of prayer and having to practice the principle of forgiveness that I taught my children."
Tiara and Michelle said they knew vengeance would never bring Tanner back, but both said they would like to see justice after the wreck.
"I would like to see the guy (charged in the wreck) get into some kind of recovery program to get treatment.
I have a heart for people in recovery, and despite
the fact that he took something so precious from me,
I still wish that for him," Tiara added. "I want to be merciful. I don't wish that he not suffer the consequences of his actions, but I hope that he finds peace with
himself and with God."
Tiara said she would like to see tougher laws and
penalties for evading arrest and failing to stop
for a blue light, and she said she hopes people
realize that the consequences of their actions can
have a drastic impact on their own lives and the lives of others. "Failing to accept responsibility for your
actions and stop for a blue light can result in
something this devastating," Tiara said. "This is a
prime example of the devastation and destruction that
wrong choices can bring on families. This is permanent. There is no fixing this."
Davis Cason, died Monday, August 1, 2006.
Born in Greenwood August 2, 1982; he was a
son of Terry and Tiara Stephenson Cason.
He was a Greenwood High School graduate and
attended Piedmont Technical College. Mr. Cason
was employed by Goodrich as a welder and was a
member of Grace Community Church. He was also the
lead guitarist with the band SplitSickSwayz.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents,
Tommy Cason, Mr. and Mrs. G. Y. Vines; and great grandparents,Pauline Taylor Stephenson and LG Carroll.
Surviving is his wife of the home, his parents of
Troy, grandparents, Julia Vines Cason of Greenwood,
Ed and Irma C. Ramsey of Abbington, VA; great
grandfather, Roy P. Stephenson of Greenwood;
a great-grand-mother Maude Carroll of
Sandersville, GA; a sister Christen Brianna Cason
of Greenwood, two brothers, Brandon Terry Cason
and Levi Chad Cason both of Greenwood; and a nephew,
Tristen Isaiah Cason of Greenwood. Services will
be 2:00 PM Saturday at Grace Community Church with
the Reverend Rod Shultz and John Walsh officiating.
Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Tony Wilson,Danny Coursey,
Robert Vines, Darren DeLouch, Ray Pulley,
Jimmy Owens and Jerry Goodman. The family will
receive friends on Friday at Harley Funeral Home from
6:00 until 8:00 PM. Memorials may be made to Capital
Bank Michelle Cason, 109 Montague Avenue
Greenwood,SC 29646. The family is at the home of
his parents, Terry & Tiara S. Cason, 2624 Scotts
Ferry Road, Kirksey.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Though Michelle Cason doesn't remember any details
about the night of Aug. 1, it will be a date she and
her family members will never forget.
It was on that night that Cason and her husband,
23-year-old Tanner Chaise Cason, were involved in a
deadly two-car wreck at the intersection of S.C. Bypass
225 and Florida Avenue, about a half-mile west of
Greenwood. Tanner, an avid musician and a welder
with the Goodrich Corp., was fatally injured in the
wreck. He died just one day before his 24th birthday.
Three weeks later, Michelle, 24, has recovered enough
to return home, after spending time in hospitals in Greenwood, Columbia and Greenville.
Her arm and leg are wrapped in pearly-white casts,
and injuries to her pelvis and tailbone have kept her wheelchair-bound since the wreck. Occupational and
physical therapists visit her twice a week for 45-minute sessions, and family, friends and visitors flow through
her sister's Greenwood home — where she is staying until she recovers — throughout the day.
The constant activity helps keep Michelle's mind off the other consequences of the wreck, she said.
"I constantly have people here," she said, "which is good. I haven't had time at all to think about everything."
The wreck occurred just after 9 p.m. when a reported
stolen car collided with the Casons' sport utility
vehicle at the intersection. The other vehicle, a Ford Escort driven by 26-year-old Antwon Lanier, disregarded
the stop sign on Florida Avenue and collided with the driver's side of the Casons' Jeep Grand Cherokee with enough force to push the sport utility vehicle 25 yards from the roadway, police reports said.
Lanier was injured in the wreck, and his passenger,
16-year-old Greenwood resident Amber Nicole Hamilton,
was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. She was flown to a hospital in Greenville, where she later died from her injuries.
Michelle and Tanner had visited Tanner's family in the hours before the wreck, making plans for his birthday
and sharing in his excitement for an upcoming job interview, Tanner's mother, Tiara Cason, said.
"He was amazing," Tiara said of her son. "He was very focused on his music, and he was a very honorable son
and husband. They (Tanner and Michelle) loved each other like I have never seen a married couple love each other."
Tiara said her son was a lead guitarist in a local band, adding that he had just signed a contract and had begun
to schedule performances.
"He was really excited about his life," Tiara said.
"He was really living his dream. He was just on the
verge of accomplishing the long-term goals he had set
as a child."
Michelle said it was Tanner's talent, passion and compassion for others that drew her to him. The pair,
who had known each other since middle school, began
dating after Michelle listened to him perform. They
had been married a little more than a year.
"He was a wonderful husband, and he was everything that
I ever wanted," Michelle said. "We had so much in common, and he was loving and caring — not just for me, but for everyone else.
"He was my best friend," Michelle said.
Michelle hasn't been back to her home since the wreck,
but Tiara said she and her family have made the
difficult trip. Those "first" moments — seeing Tanner
and Michelle's home and Tanner's belongings for the
first time after his death — were emotional for the family, Tiara said. "This is still very difficult for all of us, but we have been able to progress a little further into
the grief process than Michelle because she has been in
the hospital," Tiara said. "All those first little things we were able to touch and see and feel that were so dear
to Tanner, Michelle has not been able to do those things yet to progress to the point where we are."
But when Michelle is ready to go home, Tiara said family members will be there to support her. That support has already been a big part of helping Michelle and Tiara
make it through the past three weeks.
"If it hadn't been for the love of family, our church family and our faith in God, I know I couldn't have survived this," Tiara said. "The community's support
has been wonderful."
Tiara said she has spoken with Hamilton's family,
adding that they have made plans to do some things
together to help cope with their losses.
"They are hurting like we are hurting," Tiara said.
"We are just there for each other."
Michelle and Tiara said the few moments of the day
when family and friends aren't around are the most difficult.
"When the night falls and everything is quiet and
everybody is gone, that is when we are left with our
own thoughts and that's when all the longing and missing him comes in," Tiara said. "The emptiness is always
going to be there. You just have to learn how to deal
with it." The family has not only had to deal with
grief in the wake of the wreck, but also anger at the
fact that the wreck even occurred.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol charged Lanier with
three counts of felony DUI following the wreck, and Greenwood Police Department officials had attempted to
stop the man just moments before the wreck occurred. Reports said Lanier sped away from police at the traffic stop and officers lost sight of the vehicle. When the officers arrived at the intersection of Florida Avenue
and Bypass 225, the wreck had already happened.
The feeling of anger, Tiara said, didn't hit her until
she went to a salvage yard to retrieve her son's
belongings from his vehicle. As she was climbing out
of the twisted metal that had been Tanner's Jeep Grand Cherokee, Tiara said she saw the Ford Escort that had
been involved in the wreck. "When I looked in (
the Ford Escort) and saw the Budweiser can in the
back floorboard, the senselessness of all this came
rushing down on me, and I became angry at that moment,"
she said. "For me, (getting over that anger) has been
a lot of prayer and having to practice the principle of forgiveness that I taught my children."
Tiara and Michelle said they knew vengeance would never bring Tanner back, but both said they would like to see justice after the wreck.
"I would like to see the guy (charged in the wreck) get into some kind of recovery program to get treatment.
I have a heart for people in recovery, and despite
the fact that he took something so precious from me,
I still wish that for him," Tiara added. "I want to be merciful. I don't wish that he not suffer the consequences of his actions, but I hope that he finds peace with
himself and with God."
Tiara said she would like to see tougher laws and
penalties for evading arrest and failing to stop
for a blue light, and she said she hopes people
realize that the consequences of their actions can
have a drastic impact on their own lives and the lives of others. "Failing to accept responsibility for your
actions and stop for a blue light can result in
something this devastating," Tiara said. "This is a
prime example of the devastation and destruction that
wrong choices can bring on families. This is permanent. There is no fixing this."
Tanner Chaise Cason, 23, husband of Michelle
Davis Cason, died Monday, August 1, 2006.
Born in Greenwood August 2, 1982; he was a
son of Terry and Tiara Stephenson Cason.
He was a Greenwood High School graduate and
attended Piedmont Technical College. Mr. Cason
was employed by Goodrich as a welder and was a
member of Grace Community Church. He was also the
lead guitarist with the band SplitSickSwayz.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents,
Tommy Cason, Mr. and Mrs. G. Y. Vines; and great grandparents,Pauline Taylor Stephenson and LG Carroll.
Surviving is his wife of the home, his parents of
Troy, grandparents, Julia Vines Cason of Greenwood,
Ed and Irma C. Ramsey of Abbington, VA; great
grandfather, Roy P. Stephenson of Greenwood;
a great-grand-mother Maude Carroll of
Sandersville, GA; a sister Christen Brianna Cason
of Greenwood, two brothers, Brandon Terry Cason
and Levi Chad Cason both of Greenwood; and a nephew,
Tristen Isaiah Cason of Greenwood. Services will
be 2:00 PM Saturday at Grace Community Church with
the Reverend Rod Shultz and John Walsh officiating.
Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Tony Wilson,Danny Coursey,
Robert Vines, Darren DeLouch, Ray Pulley,
Jimmy Owens and Jerry Goodman. The family will
receive friends on Friday at Harley Funeral Home from
6:00 until 8:00 PM. Memorials may be made to Capital
Bank Michelle Cason, 109 Montague Avenue
Greenwood,SC 29646. The family is at the home of
his parents, Terry & Tiara S. Cason, 2624 Scotts
Ferry Road, Kirksey.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Though Michelle Cason doesn't remember any details
about the night of Aug. 1, it will be a date she and
her family members will never forget.
It was on that night that Cason and her husband,
23-year-old Tanner Chaise Cason, were involved in a
deadly two-car wreck at the intersection of S.C. Bypass
225 and Florida Avenue, about a half-mile west of
Greenwood. Tanner, an avid musician and a welder
with the Goodrich Corp., was fatally injured in the
wreck. He died just one day before his 24th birthday.
Three weeks later, Michelle, 24, has recovered enough
to return home, after spending time in hospitals in Greenwood, Columbia and Greenville.
Her arm and leg are wrapped in pearly-white casts,
and injuries to her pelvis and tailbone have kept her wheelchair-bound since the wreck. Occupational and
physical therapists visit her twice a week for 45-minute sessions, and family, friends and visitors flow through
her sister's Greenwood home — where she is staying until she recovers — throughout the day.
The constant activity helps keep Michelle's mind off the other consequences of the wreck, she said.
"I constantly have people here," she said, "which is good. I haven't had time at all to think about everything."
The wreck occurred just after 9 p.m. when a reported
stolen car collided with the Casons' sport utility
vehicle at the intersection. The other vehicle, a Ford Escort driven by 26-year-old Antwon Lanier, disregarded
the stop sign on Florida Avenue and collided with the driver's side of the Casons' Jeep Grand Cherokee with enough force to push the sport utility vehicle 25 yards from the roadway, police reports said.
Lanier was injured in the wreck, and his passenger,
16-year-old Greenwood resident Amber Nicole Hamilton,
was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. She was flown to a hospital in Greenville, where she later died from her injuries.
Michelle and Tanner had visited Tanner's family in the hours before the wreck, making plans for his birthday
and sharing in his excitement for an upcoming job interview, Tanner's mother, Tiara Cason, said.
"He was amazing," Tiara said of her son. "He was very focused on his music, and he was a very honorable son
and husband. They (Tanner and Michelle) loved each other like I have never seen a married couple love each other."
Tiara said her son was a lead guitarist in a local band, adding that he had just signed a contract and had begun
to schedule performances.
"He was really excited about his life," Tiara said.
"He was really living his dream. He was just on the
verge of accomplishing the long-term goals he had set
as a child."
Michelle said it was Tanner's talent, passion and compassion for others that drew her to him. The pair,
who had known each other since middle school, began
dating after Michelle listened to him perform. They
had been married a little more than a year.
"He was a wonderful husband, and he was everything that
I ever wanted," Michelle said. "We had so much in common, and he was loving and caring — not just for me, but for everyone else.
"He was my best friend," Michelle said.
Michelle hasn't been back to her home since the wreck,
but Tiara said she and her family have made the
difficult trip. Those "first" moments — seeing Tanner
and Michelle's home and Tanner's belongings for the
first time after his death — were emotional for the family, Tiara said. "This is still very difficult for all of us, but we have been able to progress a little further into
the grief process than Michelle because she has been in
the hospital," Tiara said. "All those first little things we were able to touch and see and feel that were so dear
to Tanner, Michelle has not been able to do those things yet to progress to the point where we are."
But when Michelle is ready to go home, Tiara said family members will be there to support her. That support has already been a big part of helping Michelle and Tiara
make it through the past three weeks.
"If it hadn't been for the love of family, our church family and our faith in God, I know I couldn't have survived this," Tiara said. "The community's support
has been wonderful."
Tiara said she has spoken with Hamilton's family,
adding that they have made plans to do some things
together to help cope with their losses.
"They are hurting like we are hurting," Tiara said.
"We are just there for each other."
Michelle and Tiara said the few moments of the day
when family and friends aren't around are the most difficult.
"When the night falls and everything is quiet and
everybody is gone, that is when we are left with our
own thoughts and that's when all the longing and missing him comes in," Tiara said. "The emptiness is always
going to be there. You just have to learn how to deal
with it." The family has not only had to deal with
grief in the wake of the wreck, but also anger at the
fact that the wreck even occurred.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol charged Lanier with
three counts of felony DUI following the wreck, and Greenwood Police Department officials had attempted to
stop the man just moments before the wreck occurred. Reports said Lanier sped away from police at the traffic stop and officers lost sight of the vehicle. When the officers arrived at the intersection of Florida Avenue
and Bypass 225, the wreck had already happened.
The feeling of anger, Tiara said, didn't hit her until
she went to a salvage yard to retrieve her son's
belongings from his vehicle. As she was climbing out
of the twisted metal that had been Tanner's Jeep Grand Cherokee, Tiara said she saw the Ford Escort that had
been involved in the wreck. "When I looked in (
the Ford Escort) and saw the Budweiser can in the
back floorboard, the senselessness of all this came
rushing down on me, and I became angry at that moment,"
she said. "For me, (getting over that anger) has been
a lot of prayer and having to practice the principle of forgiveness that I taught my children."
Tiara and Michelle said they knew vengeance would never bring Tanner back, but both said they would like to see justice after the wreck.
"I would like to see the guy (charged in the wreck) get into some kind of recovery program to get treatment.
I have a heart for people in recovery, and despite
the fact that he took something so precious from me,
I still wish that for him," Tiara added. "I want to be merciful. I don't wish that he not suffer the consequences of his actions, but I hope that he finds peace with
himself and with God."
Tiara said she would like to see tougher laws and
penalties for evading arrest and failing to stop
for a blue light, and she said she hopes people
realize that the consequences of their actions can
have a drastic impact on their own lives and the lives of others. "Failing to accept responsibility for your
actions and stop for a blue light can result in
something this devastating," Tiara said. "This is a
prime example of the devastation and destruction that
wrong choices can bring on families. This is permanent. There is no fixing this."
Davis Cason, died Monday, August 1, 2006.
Born in Greenwood August 2, 1982; he was a
son of Terry and Tiara Stephenson Cason.
He was a Greenwood High School graduate and
attended Piedmont Technical College. Mr. Cason
was employed by Goodrich as a welder and was a
member of Grace Community Church. He was also the
lead guitarist with the band SplitSickSwayz.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents,
Tommy Cason, Mr. and Mrs. G. Y. Vines; and great grandparents,Pauline Taylor Stephenson and LG Carroll.
Surviving is his wife of the home, his parents of
Troy, grandparents, Julia Vines Cason of Greenwood,
Ed and Irma C. Ramsey of Abbington, VA; great
grandfather, Roy P. Stephenson of Greenwood;
a great-grand-mother Maude Carroll of
Sandersville, GA; a sister Christen Brianna Cason
of Greenwood, two brothers, Brandon Terry Cason
and Levi Chad Cason both of Greenwood; and a nephew,
Tristen Isaiah Cason of Greenwood. Services will
be 2:00 PM Saturday at Grace Community Church with
the Reverend Rod Shultz and John Walsh officiating.
Burial will follow at Greenwood Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Tony Wilson,Danny Coursey,
Robert Vines, Darren DeLouch, Ray Pulley,
Jimmy Owens and Jerry Goodman. The family will
receive friends on Friday at Harley Funeral Home from
6:00 until 8:00 PM. Memorials may be made to Capital
Bank Michelle Cason, 109 Montague Avenue
Greenwood,SC 29646. The family is at the home of
his parents, Terry & Tiara S. Cason, 2624 Scotts
Ferry Road, Kirksey.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Though Michelle Cason doesn't remember any details
about the night of Aug. 1, it will be a date she and
her family members will never forget.
It was on that night that Cason and her husband,
23-year-old Tanner Chaise Cason, were involved in a
deadly two-car wreck at the intersection of S.C. Bypass
225 and Florida Avenue, about a half-mile west of
Greenwood. Tanner, an avid musician and a welder
with the Goodrich Corp., was fatally injured in the
wreck. He died just one day before his 24th birthday.
Three weeks later, Michelle, 24, has recovered enough
to return home, after spending time in hospitals in Greenwood, Columbia and Greenville.
Her arm and leg are wrapped in pearly-white casts,
and injuries to her pelvis and tailbone have kept her wheelchair-bound since the wreck. Occupational and
physical therapists visit her twice a week for 45-minute sessions, and family, friends and visitors flow through
her sister's Greenwood home — where she is staying until she recovers — throughout the day.
The constant activity helps keep Michelle's mind off the other consequences of the wreck, she said.
"I constantly have people here," she said, "which is good. I haven't had time at all to think about everything."
The wreck occurred just after 9 p.m. when a reported
stolen car collided with the Casons' sport utility
vehicle at the intersection. The other vehicle, a Ford Escort driven by 26-year-old Antwon Lanier, disregarded
the stop sign on Florida Avenue and collided with the driver's side of the Casons' Jeep Grand Cherokee with enough force to push the sport utility vehicle 25 yards from the roadway, police reports said.
Lanier was injured in the wreck, and his passenger,
16-year-old Greenwood resident Amber Nicole Hamilton,
was ejected from the vehicle during the crash. She was flown to a hospital in Greenville, where she later died from her injuries.
Michelle and Tanner had visited Tanner's family in the hours before the wreck, making plans for his birthday
and sharing in his excitement for an upcoming job interview, Tanner's mother, Tiara Cason, said.
"He was amazing," Tiara said of her son. "He was very focused on his music, and he was a very honorable son
and husband. They (Tanner and Michelle) loved each other like I have never seen a married couple love each other."
Tiara said her son was a lead guitarist in a local band, adding that he had just signed a contract and had begun
to schedule performances.
"He was really excited about his life," Tiara said.
"He was really living his dream. He was just on the
verge of accomplishing the long-term goals he had set
as a child."
Michelle said it was Tanner's talent, passion and compassion for others that drew her to him. The pair,
who had known each other since middle school, began
dating after Michelle listened to him perform. They
had been married a little more than a year.
"He was a wonderful husband, and he was everything that
I ever wanted," Michelle said. "We had so much in common, and he was loving and caring — not just for me, but for everyone else.
"He was my best friend," Michelle said.
Michelle hasn't been back to her home since the wreck,
but Tiara said she and her family have made the
difficult trip. Those "first" moments — seeing Tanner
and Michelle's home and Tanner's belongings for the
first time after his death — were emotional for the family, Tiara said. "This is still very difficult for all of us, but we have been able to progress a little further into
the grief process than Michelle because she has been in
the hospital," Tiara said. "All those first little things we were able to touch and see and feel that were so dear
to Tanner, Michelle has not been able to do those things yet to progress to the point where we are."
But when Michelle is ready to go home, Tiara said family members will be there to support her. That support has already been a big part of helping Michelle and Tiara
make it through the past three weeks.
"If it hadn't been for the love of family, our church family and our faith in God, I know I couldn't have survived this," Tiara said. "The community's support
has been wonderful."
Tiara said she has spoken with Hamilton's family,
adding that they have made plans to do some things
together to help cope with their losses.
"They are hurting like we are hurting," Tiara said.
"We are just there for each other."
Michelle and Tiara said the few moments of the day
when family and friends aren't around are the most difficult.
"When the night falls and everything is quiet and
everybody is gone, that is when we are left with our
own thoughts and that's when all the longing and missing him comes in," Tiara said. "The emptiness is always
going to be there. You just have to learn how to deal
with it." The family has not only had to deal with
grief in the wake of the wreck, but also anger at the
fact that the wreck even occurred.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol charged Lanier with
three counts of felony DUI following the wreck, and Greenwood Police Department officials had attempted to
stop the man just moments before the wreck occurred. Reports said Lanier sped away from police at the traffic stop and officers lost sight of the vehicle. When the officers arrived at the intersection of Florida Avenue
and Bypass 225, the wreck had already happened.
The feeling of anger, Tiara said, didn't hit her until
she went to a salvage yard to retrieve her son's
belongings from his vehicle. As she was climbing out
of the twisted metal that had been Tanner's Jeep Grand Cherokee, Tiara said she saw the Ford Escort that had
been involved in the wreck. "When I looked in (
the Ford Escort) and saw the Budweiser can in the
back floorboard, the senselessness of all this came
rushing down on me, and I became angry at that moment,"
she said. "For me, (getting over that anger) has been
a lot of prayer and having to practice the principle of forgiveness that I taught my children."
Tiara and Michelle said they knew vengeance would never bring Tanner back, but both said they would like to see justice after the wreck.
"I would like to see the guy (charged in the wreck) get into some kind of recovery program to get treatment.
I have a heart for people in recovery, and despite
the fact that he took something so precious from me,
I still wish that for him," Tiara added. "I want to be merciful. I don't wish that he not suffer the consequences of his actions, but I hope that he finds peace with
himself and with God."
Tiara said she would like to see tougher laws and
penalties for evading arrest and failing to stop
for a blue light, and she said she hopes people
realize that the consequences of their actions can
have a drastic impact on their own lives and the lives of others. "Failing to accept responsibility for your
actions and stop for a blue light can result in
something this devastating," Tiara said. "This is a
prime example of the devastation and destruction that
wrong choices can bring on families. This is permanent. There is no fixing this."
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