By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Vandegrift class of 2016 graduate Adrien Lorenzo Maxey-Salomone, 22, was in a serious car accident on Texas 360 Loop on July 30 and passed away on August 11, according to those close to him.

“As a friend and as a mom, I am so heartbroken,” said April Dang, former resident of Four Points and friend of Kathy Salomone, his mom.

Adrien Salomone was ejected from his car, suffered severe brain injuries and multiple broken bones. He was still in a coma in intensive care up until Aug. 11.

The July 30 accident involved two cars: A vehicle with four occupants, including one that died, and Salomone’s vehicle with just him.

At 1:02 a.m., the Austin Police Department was notified of the collision that occurred between a Subaru and a Saturn in the 4700 block of Capital of Texas near the Pennybacker Bridge. The front of the Subaru (Salomone’s car) struck the back of the Saturn. Mary Rebecca Grayson was transported to St. David’s South Austin Hospital by Austin-Travis County EMS where she succumbed to her injuries and died. This was Austin’s 65th fatal traffic crash of 2021, according to APD.

Salomone had been in a coma since the accident with all kinds of injuries including brain trauma, Dang said. 

Doctors could not do any further surgery until the swelling on his brain subsided. But by Wednesday there were no signs of improvement and his family had hard decisions to make on his prognosis, she said.

“He was such a joy,” Dang said. “He was a bundle of light, always happy.”

One teacher shared that Salomone would come into class every time saying, “I’m going to learn something today.”

Salomone and his family lived in Grandview Hills and moved away about a year or so ago, Dang said. He had just started a new job and did not have medical insurance. 

A GoFundMe fundraiser entitled Help Adrien’s Fight:  https://gofund.me/1eae9425 was set up to help with the mounting medical bills and now funeral expenses. Fellow class of 2016 VHS alum from Steiner Ranch, Alexis Gonzales, organized the fundraiser.

“The financial struggles will be substantial and any help would be greatly appreciated by his family in their time of need,” the GoFundMe states.

“Donate if you can and/or  share with our Viper community,”she said.