The Palatka community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of 21-year-old Michael Terry, who tragically died Sunday evening in a crash involving his motorized minibike and an SUV on State Road 19. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the collision occurred around 7:58 p.m. as an SUV was traveling southbound on SR-19 and Michael was riding eastbound on Horseman Club Road. As Michael entered the intersection, the SUV struck the rear of his minibike, throwing him onto the roadway. Despite immediate efforts to help him, he passed away at the scene from his injuries.
Michael’s sudden passing has left his family and friends devastated. At only 21, he was a young man overflowing with promise — someone whose kindness, humor, and gentle nature made him deeply loved by everyone who knew him. Those closest to him say he had a way of making people feel seen and valued, and his generous spirit made him the kind of person others naturally gravitated toward. Losing him in such a tragic moment has left a void that words can hardly fill.
The driver of the SUV, a 52-year-old woman, and her 12-year-old passenger were uninjured, but the emotional weight of the crash remains heavy for everyone touched by this tragedy. As investigators continue to review the circumstances, the community is turning its focus to supporting Michael’s grieving family and honoring the memory of a life taken too soon.
Tonight, family and friends hold tightly to the moments they shared with him — the laughter, the conversations, the plans he dreamed of pursuing. Michael may no longer walk beside those he loved, but his memory lives on in the hearts that will never forget him.
May Michael Terry rest in everlasting peace, remembered always for the love he gave, the light he carried, and the beautiful impact he made in just 21 short years.
