Tragedy: Randall Terry’s oldest son killed in car accident
I was so sad to open an email this morning from pro-life activist Randall Terry:
Dear Friend.
Yesterday morning, at approximately 7 am eastern (11/30/2011), my 31 year old son, Jamiel Terry [pictured right], was killed in a head on collision. The three passengers in the other car were injured in varying degrees, but the police told me they will all be ok.
We are all in a state of shock, and unthinkable grief. I loved him dearly; we all did.
I beg you for your prayers for our family, and I beg you to pray for the mercy of God, and the eternal rest of Jamiel’s soul.
He will be sorely missed. I still cannot believe this is happening.
God have mercy; Christ have mercy.
Randall Terry
This is such a tragedy.
As a parent, a foremost concern I had was whether the two parted company in this world on good terms. You don’t have to google long to find junk about them, which every family has. The difference was this family was well-known. The falling out between Randall and Jamiel seven years ago was quite public. Had they made peace since that time?
I called Randall to express my condolences and to ask. I’m not sure why I needed to know. Perhaps it’s a mom thing. Anguish in a situation like this is bad enough without having it compounded by regret.
Randall was grief-stricken, as I cannot even imagine. But he told me yes, they had made peace. “We spoke regularly,” Randall told me. “We’d even made plans for a speaking tour.”
That was a comfort to know.
Reading words Jamiel wrote tells me he was a sweet, insightful guy. Randall bragged that he was “brilliant.” The Washington Post described Jamiel as “handsome and articulate, with the preternatural ease in the spotlight found in celebrity children.”
Despite their differences, Jamiel loved his dad, writing, “My father is probably one of the most engaging men I have ever met. He is witty, intelligent, and funny. I remember watching him and Patricia Ireland, former president of the National Organization for Women, in a heated debate on CNN. He’s so charming, you could tell that even the icy Ms. Ireland melted.”
And, “One thing about my father: We kids could certainly tell him what we thought, and we usually wouldn’t get in trouble,” a great parental attribute.
Please join me in praying for the Terry family at this tragic time.

How very sad.
Praying for family and friends.
So sad - glad they were on good terms :)
My neighbors had a family fight on Thanksgiving and that same night their father (50 years old) was in a terrible car accident – he’s still in the hospital in trauma step-down and has been through one of a few surguries – going to be a long process of healing.
They got a second chance to make it right :) Praise God!
Will be praying for your friends loss!
I wonder if the enemy is taking a shot at Randall, knowing that should those graphic ads run, many lives will be saved. It’s still overwhelmingly sad. Brings to mind Greg Laurie’s son, Chris who died in a car accident and Steven Curtis Chapman’s adopted daughter, Maria who died at such a young age in a tragic accident as well. This is not our home ….
So tragic for his family… my prayers are with them.
God help them all.
Frebus, what would make you say such things?
Thoughts go out to the grieving family.
Amber: My neighbors had a family fight on Thanksgiving and that same night their father (50 years old) was in a terrible car accident – he’s still in the hospital in trauma step-down and has been through one of a few surguries – going to be a long process of healing.
My dad’s closest neighbor hadn’t talked to one sister for over 30 years at last count. Some stupid argument, long ago, and neither one would “give in.”
What a terrible, terrible tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family.
Dear Randall,
If you read this, we share your sorrow…and your hope.
Out of loss can come blessings and ministry to others. It doesn’t negate or diminish the sorrow! It just proves God’s Word is true: “All things work together for God for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Greg Laurie and Steven Curtis Chapman have ministered to thousands (at the Harvest Crusades) out of their pain.
I will pray for Jamiel and his family. The Pro Life movement is under attack. With the tragic deaths of Kortney Gordon, Jon Scharfenberger, Kortney’s unborn baby, the pull of Fr Frank from PFL at such a critical time, and now the death of Jamiel. Now is a time to pray and stick together, we are strongest when united.
Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to Randall and his family. I lost my father to cancer and although it has been 2 years since he died, the pain is still there. A simple scent of his favorite perfume, or a burst of laughter that sounds just like his, or a favorite drink or food or after shave can still trigger the grief and pain of losing him.
Time does heal the loss, but the pain will always be there nonetheless.
God bless you, Randall and your family. Know that we share your pain.
The pro-life movement seems to be under spiritual attack recently.
Yesterday, I read in Abby Johnson’s website that she too is also experiencing a different kind of pain. Fr. Frank, the key figure in her conversion to Catholicism will be unable to attend her confirmation and so she wrote a letter to Bishop Zurek about it. What was amazing about her letter was that she was not disrespectful or angry but you can most definitely feel her pain.
Please pray for the protection of all our pro-life leaders as I feel this is a spiritual attack on them.
If I may add, the pain of losing a parent is a pain that goes beyond words but that usually is the natural order of things, however, the pain of losing a child first is worse for a parent.
My family will be saying novena’s and will be lighting candles for Randall’s family as he goes thru this painful time.
Peace and blessings to you, Randall.
And thank you for writing this Jill.
Thinking of and praying for the friends and family of Jamiel Terry.
Praying our Lord Jesus wraps His loving and merciful arms around Jamiel Terry and that his family receives strength, consolation, and peace during this difficult time. Merciful Jesus, I trust in You!
Praying for the family for their indescribable loss. LL
so very sorry. car accidents are just so sudden and tragic. praying for this family. my husbands son died in 04~ car accident. he cries often. hes destroyed. and yes the devil divides. strains on families. pro lifers fighting. keeping pro aborts in bondage.
Why, O Lord? When things like this happen, don’t we all just want to scream that up into the heavens? Yet, His ways are not our ways. I will pray for the Terry family, for healing, for peace of soul.
Oh, mercy… God be with Mr. Terry and his family, in this time of trial! Prayers offered for them…
Randall Terry, this is called Karma.