The family of a ‘bright and bubbly’ woman who died in a car crash have paid tribute to her.
Grace Payne was on her way home from a night out with colleagues on November 25 when a van driving on the wrong side of the A13 in Dagenham smashed into her.
The 21-year-old, from Upminster, was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver she was with was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Grace’s parents said the tragedy has left them ‘devastated’ and ‘struggling to come to terms with the fact that their daughter will never be coming home’.
In a statement issued through the police, they said: ‘She made us proud in so many ways.
‘She was caring, compassionate, bright, funny, bubbly – her friends always said that she had the ability to brighten up their day.
‘When she walked out of a room, she left everyone feeling happier than when she had walked in. She always wanted to help, always wanted to make people happy.’
They described how she loved children and although enjoyed her job in HR, had a long-term goal to retrain as a primary school teacher when she reached 30.
She used to help her dad and her brother Jack coach the juniors at Brentwood Cricket Club and would often look after the youngest age groups, ‘supplying cuddles whenever necessary’.
The grieving family went on: ‘Grace graduated from the University of Kent this year with a degree in history and philosophy.
‘She spent much of the summer travelling around Europe with university friends – trips to Italy, Greece, Sicily, Barcelona and Amsterdam.
‘There were family holidays to Devon and Wales. She passed her driving test, celebrated her 21st birthday and started work with an architects firm in London which she instantly loved. It had been a very happy, exciting, busy year.
‘She was a 21-year-old starting to live life to the full after the confinements of Covid.
‘If Grace was out with a group of friends, it was always said she was the one looking after everyone else, making sure they would get home safely.
‘Last week, she joined work colleagues on their regular Thursday night out. Tragically, she never made it home.’
A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop for police. He remains in police custody in hospital.
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