HOMEWOOD, IL — The Homewood-Flossmoor High School community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of 17-year-old Tom’Mya Lyons, a beloved senior who tragically lost her life early Sunday morning in a single-vehicle crash on the Bishop Ford Freeway.
According to the Illinois State Police, the crash occurred around 4:31 a.m. on the Sibley Boulevard ramp to northbound I-94. Authorities report that one person was ejected from the vehicle during the crash and was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. That person has been identified by school officials as Tom’Mya Lyons.
The tragic incident occurred just hours after the school’s senior prom, which was held Saturday night at the Field Museum in Chicago. What was meant to be a night of celebration and lasting memories for students has turned into one of profound grief and loss.
Homewood-Flossmoor High School Superintendent Dr. Scott Wakely and Principal Dr. Clinton Alexander issued a joint statement expressing their sorrow and support for the Lyons family and the school community:
“We extend our deepest condolences to Tom’Mya’s family. Our hearts go out to them as they cope with this tragic loss. It is in difficult times like this that the HF family comes together to support each other. We are here for you.”
Tom’Mya, remembered by many as kind, vibrant, and full of potential, was a promising young woman with a bright future ahead. She was deeply involved in school activities and had built strong friendships that left lasting impressions on those around her.
Calumet City Alderwoman Dr. Monet S. Wilson also shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, writing:
“Sending prayers and condolences to the family of this talented beauty, Tom’Mya Lyons. God, we ask you to keep her wrapped in your embrace. Please keep her entire family lifted in prayer. Bring her parents a peace that surpasses our understanding. Watch over her prom date. Pray for the Homewood-Flossmoor High School community, her friends, classmates, educators, and administrators as they too are forever changed.
To our HF babies, we are a phone call away should you need me or Coach Courtland.”
As the school comes to terms with this devastating loss, grief counselors have been made available to students and staff throughout the week. A growing memorial of flowers, photos, and messages of love now sits outside the school as classmates and community members pay tribute to a life taken too soon.
Plans for a candlelight vigil and funeral services are expected to be announced in the coming days. In the meantime, the Homewood-Flossmoor community continues to come together in mourning, holding tight to memories of Tom’Mya’s radiant smile and generous spirit.
She will be remembered not only as a student and a friend, but as a shining light whose presence made a lasting impact on everyone she met.