Taraja Ramsess, a stuntman whose talents were showcased in Marvel productions such as “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Avengers: Endgame,” is being mourned following a car accident that claimed his life and those of three of his five children.
The 41-year-old was behind the wheel when his vehicle collided with a broken-down tractor trailer in the left lane of an off-ramp on I-20 in DeKalb County in suburban Atlanta just before midnight on Halloween.
According to WSB-TV, Taraja and his daughters, SunDari, 13, and Fugibo, 8 weeks old, were killed at the scene. His 10-year-old son, Kisasi, was gravely injured as he and his 3-year-old sister, Shazia, were ejected from the vehicle. She endured a brief stint at the hospital while Kisasi stayed on life support due to his injuries.
Akili Ramsess, Taraja’s mother, confirmed that her family members were involved in the horrific incident on Instagram. She remembered her son as having a deep capacity for love and a cornball with a “wicked sense of humor” who loved motorcycles and all aspects of filmmaking.
Most recently, the grieving mother shared a photo of Shazia hugging Taraja, with the caption, “She miss her daddy.”
In another post, she shared of Shazia and another daughter with the caption, “Sister survivors.”
A GoFundMe campaign with a $150,000 goal was set up to help Akili and her family cover costs related to the tragedy. So far, they have reached $113, 422 as of Nov. 24.
Additional stunt credits include Taraja’s work on “Avengers: Infinity War,” “The Suicide Squad,” “Atlanta,” and “Creed III.” The actor worked alongside Jonathan Majors, Michael B. Jordan, and Letitia Wright, and others. He is also credited with contributions to the art departments for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “The Walking Dead,” and “The Vampire Diaries.”
Avengers And Black Panther Actor, Taraja Ramsess, And His Three Children K!lled, Including His Newborn Daughter In A Car Crash pic.twitter.com/tt8xpB6IOv
— #Angeltv (@Angeltv_Gh) November 6, 2023
Akili confirmed earlier this month that Kisasi succumbed to his injuries on Nov. 5. Kisasi Adebayo joins his father Taraja @chop.saki and sisters Sundari and Fujibo on their journey. May God bless all their souls. You all will be missed,” wrote Akili. Shazia and another daughter are the only survivors.
The martial arts enthusiast was also remembered by director Ava DuVernay. He worked as a crew member for DuVernay’s independent distribution company, ARRAY. “Regal. That’s the word that comes to mind when I think of him. He walked like a king. And to me, always acted like one,” read her tribute to Taraja.
“My goodness, did he love his children. A happy, whole love. Beautiful to behold…A leader. A light. Taraja. His name is like music. We will continue to sing it. Bless his soul. Bless his memory. Bless his loved ones and the many comrades he leaves here as he journeys on,” continued the post, which was composed of various photos of the stuntman.
Lisa Ann Wilson, Taraja’s partner, shared that a Janazah, a Muslim funeral, took place earlier this month on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. at the Atlanta Masjid on Fayetteville Road.
Taraja’s untimely passing marks the first time death has touched the “Black Panther” franchise since star Chadwick Boseman died of colon cancer in August 2020. He was 43 years old.
