On August 26, 1999 Jessica was with two of her friends doing what her parents said were her most favorite things to do in the world; eating and shopping. Jessica was the passenger in a car that was headed to McDonalds before going back-to-school shopping. As they were turning off Maryland Route 85 onto Grove Road, they drove into the path of an oncoming tractor-trailer. Jessica and the driver were flown to Washington County Hospital's Shock Trauma Center. The third passenger was taken to, and later released from Frederick Memorial Hospital. The driver of the car was released that night from the emergency room at Washington County Hospital. Jessica was more gravely injured in the accident. She underwent numerous tests Thursday night, and was listed in critical condition. Jessica's family and friends crowded around the ICU's waiting room praying that God was going to let Jessica stay with us. God has a mysterious plan for all of us. His plan was to take Jessica with Him. On Friday, August 27, 1999 Jessica Lee Murphy passed away of injuries sustained in the automobile accident the day before.

Memorial services were held Sunday and Monday, August 29 and 30, at Keeney & Basford Funeral Home. The next day, August 31, 1999, funeral services took place at St. John's Evangelical Roman Catholic Church in Frederick. Interment was at St. John's Cemetery.

Jessica was an organ donor. Because of Jessica, four lives have been saved with successful transplants of the heart, liver and kidneys. Two blind people have been given the gift of sight, burn victims have been given skin grafts, and bone and bone marrow are also available. In keeping with Jessica's giving nature, friends and family established a memorial fund in her honor to benefit others. To learn more about what is being done with this fund, click on "About the Memorial Fund" .