Nichole Marie Klunker, 37, was killed last Friday at 3:20 a.m. on I-15 near the Las Vegas Speedway exit when a wrong-way driver struck her vehicle. She was on her way home to Scenic, Arizona, near Mesquite after working in Las Vegas. Nevada State Police identified the wrong-way driver as 30-year-old Keondranique Dyshae Young.
Klunker worked as a masseuse at Las Vegas Strip hotels, primarily serving high roller poker players, and was also a bodybuilder and fitness coach. Her mother, Leigh Anne Klunker, told 8 News Now, 'A tragic accident that never needed to happen. It's that part that makes me angry. We live in a world where this is 100% preventable.'
Leigh Anne Klunker described her daughter as 'very sure of herself, very strong-willed' and emphasized that Nichole was a devoted mother of three. 'Even though she was a busy mom and did everything by herself, that she still had plenty of time for her kids. Her kids were her world,' she said. Nichole left behind two daughters, ages 10 and 14, and a 20-year-old son.
The family has started a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses. Nichole would have celebrated her birthday on November 20. Her older sister, Danielle Neil, said, 'We didn't expect it; it was so sudden. There was no warning sign, nothing. She was just gone. Loss is a hard thing; that's a hard thing for anybody.' Leigh Anne Klunker added that they will remember the positive memories Nichole left behind during the holidays.
Sources: 8 News Now
Original reporting: 8 News Now →
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