'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABhAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgcQAAEEAQMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBAgQFAAYhMgcSE0FxAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAxEBAQACAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIRMQAEIQP/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AM3qrh990kSsAJIU8E8Bpdoj3GLMGQPf43tfxVFfyTKeVM0YySZqaclbEcm1sf0vzGMn24j50zIBN4De5lePr01Ar6mXHmlOf//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Travis Ruffin, a popular figure and founder of Ruffins Service Center, passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2023, at the age of 33. According to reports, he was driving under the influence of alcohol and lost control of his car on Interstate 64 in Wilson, North Carolina.
The news was confirmed by his mother, Michelle McCoy Jones, in a heartbreaking Facebook post shared on her profile, where she wrote:
"Lord I am wishing and praying that I was having a very bad dream and today everything is normal."
Ruffin was born and raised in Wilson and he attended Wilson Community College before starting his own business, Travis Service Shop. He was reportedly well-liked in the community and was known for his kind and good-hearted nature.
"You touched so many near and far": Netizens write condolence messages for Travis Ruffin's family
As the news of Travis Ruffin's tragic and untimely passing spread, friends and family took to social media to express their shock and heartbreak. Netizens too paid their respects to the North Carolinian native.
They called him the "life of a party," adding there were no dull moments with him around. They remarked that they were thankful to get to know him. Many sent their prayers and wishes to his mother as well.
Here are some comments seen on Facebook:
A few comments on Twitter were also observed.
What happened to Travis Ruffin?
Travis's calm and persistent nature and his dedication to his craft won over many hearts in his community.
According to police reports, the crash took place on February 25, while Ruffin was driving his 2011 Dodge Charger under the influence of alcohol. He was speeding at an excess of 100 mph and lost control of the car at one turn, where it ran off the road into a ditch.
According to Restoration News Media, the car turned several times before coming to a halt. The Service Center proprietor, however, was ejected through the roof of the car.
Highway Troopers added that nobody else was involved in the accident as Ruffin was alone in the car. The Wilson native was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
According to his obituary, Travis Ruffins's funeral service will be announced at a later date and has been entrusted to the Stevens Funeral Home, located at 1820 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Wilson, NC.
