UPDATE: Nearly seven months after his family endured unimaginable tragedy, Jimmie Johnson is speaking out for the first time.
While a guest on The Today Show on January 16, Johnson thanked his fans for their support. “First and foremost, thank you for the support. Friends and family, fans far and wide have been extremely supportive, and that’s helped us through this incredibly difficult time.”
We’re catching up with @JimmieJohnson about his induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, the new partnerships and sponsorships for @LEGACYMotorClub, adjusting to driving in London and the support he receives from fans. pic.twitter.com/QfhXdbAxXj
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 16, 2024
“We’re managing the best we can, and that’s really all you can do. So thank you for the support and the continued support.”
He then went on to reveal that despite being retired and a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame class of 2024, he is returning to the track with Carvana as his sponsor.
It has been a whirlwind of a month for Jimmie Johnson and his family as they continue to mourn the deaths of three loved ones in what’s being described as a triple murder-suicide. The tragedy occurred on June 26 and news spread rather quickly, but we didn’t hear from Jimmie for a whole month after the fact.
On Friday (July 28), Jimmie Johnson took to Instagram to share his first comments since news of the tragedy went viral. “Our family is devastated by the profound loss of Lynn, Jack and Dalton Janway,’ he wrote – referring to his 11-year-old nephew, Dalton, and his wife’s parents, Terry Lynn and Jack Janway.
While they continue the mourning and grieving process, Jimmie wanted to take a moment to thank his fans for their love and support. “We have been humbled by the outpouring of love and support during this unthinkably sad time and remain grateful for all of your compassion,” Jimmie concluded in the statement.
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On June 26, police were dispatched to the Jack and Terry Lynn’s family home at around 9:05 p.m. after a 911 caller claimed a woman had a gun in the house before hanging up. Bodycam video shows officers finding a dead body on the floor – later identified as Jack Janway – upon arriving at the crime scene.
Chandra Janway's parents, Jack and Terry Janway, and nephew, Dalton Janway, were found dead after receiving a 911 call from a woman who reported someone with a gun before hanging up, Police are saying that Terry was the alleged gunman, in the murder suicide #jimmiejohnson pic.twitter.com/zKnUCPZ87v
— Black AF News (@blackafnews) June 27, 2023
As they inspected the body, which was covered by a blanket, they heard a single gunshot in one of the rooms – where they found two more bodies (Terry Lynn and Dalton). Investigators immediately named Terry Lynn the primary suspect and have described the tragedy as a triple murder-suicide ever since.
Terry Lynn and Jack Janway are the mother and father of Chandra Janway – the wife of Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie and Chandra met in 2002, got engaged in 2003, and tied the knot in 2004 before starting a family of their own. They share two daughters together – Genevieve, 12, and Lydia, 9.
As for Dalton Janway, he was the 11-year-old nephew of Jimmie Johnson through one of Chandra’s siblings – she had three of them and, while it’s unclear who Dalton’s parents were, we do know that Chandra lost one of her siblings (Jordan) to a skydiving accident nearly 10 years ago – she was 24.
Prayers Continue to Pour in for Jimmie Johnson and His Family
While Jimmie Johnson disabled comments on his latest Instagram post, his fans and followers continue to show their love and support by leaving comments on previous posts and sharing prayers through other social media platforms. One thing is for sure – Jimmie and his family aren’t going through this alone.
“Sending love and prayers to my team mate Jimmie, Chandra and the whole Johnson family at this devastating time,’ Jenson Button – one of Jimmie’s teammates – tweeted. “The entire NASCAR family extends its deepest support and condolences during this difficult time,” NASCAR wrote on their Twitter.
Tributes also poured in for Dylan, who is being described as the ‘definition of life.’ Many people took to social media to remember him as spunky, comical, smart, and the ‘funniest kiddo’ who ‘never failed to amaze’ those around him. “I’m so glad I got to witness his beautiful personality,” one person wrote.
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Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the US with nearly 50,000 people dying of suicide every year – not only that, but 12.3 million people think about suicide, 3.5 million people make a plan for it, and another 1.7 million people attempt it. If you need help, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.