It’s been a few years now, but the shock hasn't really faded for anyone who follows professional wrestling. One minute, Jay Briscoe—real name Jamin Pugh—is tweeting a photo with his brother Mark, celebrating their 13th Ring of Honor Tag Team Title reign. The next, the news tickers are screaming about a tragedy in Laurel, Delaware.
It was Jan. 17, 2023. A Tuesday.
Honestly, the Jay Briscoe car accident wasn't just a "celebrity death" story. It felt like a punch to the gut because of how it happened—a father just trying to get his daughters to cheerleading practice. No glitz, no glam, just a dad in a Chevy Silverado doing "dad things" in his hometown.
The mechanics of the crash
The details from the Delaware State Police are pretty harrowing. Around 5:30 p.m., Jamin was driving his 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 eastbound on Laurel Road.
Coming the other way was a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. It was driven by 27-year-old Lillyanne Ternahan. For reasons that investigators still haven't been able to fully pin down, Ternahan’s truck veered across the center line.
It was a head-on collision.
There wasn't any time to react. Jamin wasn't wearing a seatbelt, which is a detail that still haunts a lot of fans. Both he and Ternahan were pronounced dead at the scene. But the focus quickly shifted to the back seat of Jamin’s truck, where his two daughters, 12-year-old Gracie and 9-year-old Jayleigh, were fighting for their lives.
A miracle in the recovery
If there is any "silver lining" in this nightmare, it’s the sheer grit of the Pugh girls. Most people looked at the wreckage and thought the worst. The injuries were catastrophic.
Gracie had an L2 dislocation and multiple spinal fractures. For a while, she couldn't feel anything below her waist. Doctors were literally teaching her how to live in a wheelchair. But if you know anything about the Briscoe family, "quit" isn't in their vocabulary.
💡 You might also like: How to punch a punching bag: What most people get wrong about heavy bag training
By early 2025, reports confirmed that Gracie wasn't just out of the chair—she was walking again, nearly back to her pre-accident self. Jayleigh had it rough too, dealing with an open tibia/fibula fracture and internal bleeding that required a bowel resection. She’s since fully recovered.
It’s kind of wild to think about.
The wrestling community raised over $300,000 via GiveSendGo to help with these bills. It shows you how much "Dem Boys" meant to people.
Why the wrestling world stopped spinning
Jay Briscoe was a "wrestler's wrestler." He didn't need the bright lights of WWE to be a legend. He and Mark were the backbone of Ring of Honor (ROH) for two decades.
📖 Related: Why Winter Olympics Alpine Skiing Is Way More Terrifying Than It Looks
They were the "reach for the sky" guys.
The tragedy hit harder because Jay was finally getting the mainstream flowers he deserved. AEW owner Tony Khan had recently bought ROH, and fans were dying to see the Briscoes on national TV more regularly.
A legacy of "Real"
- 13-time ROH Tag Team Champions: A record that probably won't be broken.
- 2-time ROH World Champion: Proving he was a top-tier singles star too.
- Inaugural ROH Hall of Famers: Inducted in 2022.
- The FTR Trilogy: Their 2022 matches are widely considered some of the best tag team wrestling ever caught on film.
Clearing up the misconceptions
You’ll see a lot of rumors online about the Jay Briscoe car accident. Let's set the record straight:
💡 You might also like: Rick Fox Basketball Stats: Why the Role Player Archetype Still Matters
- Alcohol wasn't the factor: While people always jump to that conclusion in head-on crashes, police didn't find evidence that Jamin was impaired.
- The "Other Driver" mystery: There was a lot of vitriol toward Lillyanne Ternahan initially. But the truth is, nobody knows why she crossed the line. It could have been a medical emergency or a momentary distraction. Two families lost someone that day.
- The Seatbelt issue: Yes, Jamin wasn't wearing one. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s a reminder that even "invincible" guys like Jay are human.
Moving forward: What we can learn
If you’re looking for a way to honor Jay’s memory, it’s basically about two things: family and hustle. Mark Briscoe is still out there today, carrying the torch in AEW, often wearing shirts that say "Jay" or "Reach for the Sky." He even named his new baby boy after his brother.
Practical steps for fans and drivers:
- Support the family: The GiveSendGo remains a testament to the community, but simply supporting Mark Briscoe’s matches and buying "Dem Boys" merch keeps the legacy alive for his kids.
- Wear the belt: It sounds cliché, but the Delaware State Police reports emphasize that the daughters survived largely because they were properly restrained.
- Check in on your people: Jay was known for being an intimidating guy in the ring but the softest, most devoted dad outside of it. He didn't miss those cheerleading practices for a reason.
Jay Briscoe didn't just leave behind a bunch of wrestling tapes. He left a blueprint for how to be a local hero while being a world-class talent. He stayed in Sandy Fork. He stayed "country." And he never stopped reaching for the sky.