Nationwide — Tamirah Dix, an African American woman from Atlanta, Georgia, died in Puerto Rico after suffering a head injury while zip-lining. Her family is arranging to bring her body back to Georgia as they wait for official autopsy results.
Family members say the 40-year-old got injured on Saturday during a zip-lining activity while on a trip in Puerto Rico. She finished the rest of her day afterward and later went to sleep without immediate signs of serious distress.
Her condition changed overnight. Family members say she began having seizures hours after going to bed. She was then rushed for emergency care as her condition worsened. Relatives say she died on the way to the hospital before doctors could provide further treatment, according to 11Alive.
Friends and family in Marietta, Georgia, are now grieving her death. Dix graduated from Marietta High School in 2004, and many former classmates and community members have shared memories of her life.
Her best friend, Brittani Hebron, said they first became close in ninth grade and stayed inseparable. Hebron described Dix as supportive and uplifting. “She’ll lift me up, pick me up. She likes to elevate people,” she said.
Hebron said she was driving when she got the news and had to pull over because of the shock. She said their bond felt like sisterhood after years of daily connection.
Family members said Dix was the youngest of four siblings. They described her as adventurous, fearless, and deeply loving, especially toward her nieces and nephews.
As of Wednesday, the family is still waiting for autopsy results. A GoFundMe page has also been set up to help support funeral and travel arrangements as the family works to bring her home. It has so far raised over $17,000.