Their 11-year-old son is fighting for his life after his mother and CEO died in a tourist accident in Nicaragua.
Casey Gourley, 41, co-founder of a multi-million dollar marketing consultancy firm, died in the crash, while her 11-year-old son was seriously injured and taken to hospital.
A CEO’s mother has died in a horrific tourist transportation accident while vacationing in Nicaragua with her husband and three young children.
Casey Grell, 41, co-founder of multi-million dollar marketing firm Ox Insights, died on March 23, while her 11-year-old son was seriously injured and taken to hospital.
The family was aboard a tourist transport truck carrying about 28 foreign travellers when the open-air vehicle suddenly lost control and plunged down a hill into the Rancho Santana resort in Tola.
Casey tragically died from his injuries on the way to the hospital, while his 11-year-old son Julian suffered a head injury, a skull fracture, and a spinal fracture, as well as a damaged lung. Nicaraguan outlet TN8 reports that the accident injured more than 20 people, including children.
Casey is survived by her husband and their three young children.
Casey is remembered as a “brilliant, driven and selfless” person who loved helping others. She is survived by her husband Dave and their three young children Julian, 11, Kit, 9, and Des, 6.
Casey’s brother Andy Joyce wrote in a post on Facebook, “We are very saddened to announce the tragic passing of our sister Casey Grell.”
“Casey was on a family vacation in Nicaragua and on a visit to the resort where she was staying with her children, Kit and Julian, when the driver lost control and spun the vehicle, killing Casey and seriously injuring Julian.”
Casey photographed with his brother Andy Joyce (Image: Andy Joyce/Facebook)
Andy said his sister was “one of the most talented, driven, and selfless people I’ve ever met,” and she was tireless in everything she did, especially when it came to helping her people.
“We are heartbroken for David Greeley, Julian, Kit and Des, as well as all those who knew and loved Casey.”
A GoFundMe page was launched to help children; it has raised more than $310,000 (£234,000) as of Sunday, far exceeding the initial $250,000 goal.
According to the GoFundMe page, Casey was the family’s main breadwinner after her husband was seriously injured in a previous accident. He co-founded Ox Insights, a St Louis-based marketing consultancy that helps private equity firms boost their performance.
Casey (seen in the center) was killed while on vacation in Nicaragua (Image: Andy Joyce/Facebook)
In a podcast last year, Casey said the company had hit $10 million in annual revenue in less than two years, without outside funding.
Before starting the business, Gourley pursued a career in venture capital and corporate dealmaking, including a stint as CEO of Gateway Media, where he helped reduce $40 million of debt before selling the company.
He originally started out as a TV news reporter before moving into finance and entrepreneurship after completing an MBA from Washington University in St Louis.
Nicaragua’s National Police are still investigating the circumstances of the accident.
