Janel Parrish has opened up about suffering a tragic loss ahead of one of the happiest days of her life.
On Saturday, the “Pretty Little Liars” alum revealed that her father-in-law was killed by a drunk driver just two weeks before her wedding to husband Chris Long. Janel shared the sad news in an Instagram post alongside two photos of Chris’ father, Buck, including one shot in which he appears to be giving the couple a toast.
“A few weeks ago, we got the awful news that my now father in law was tragically killed by a drunk driver on his beloved Sunday motorcycle ride,” Janel wrote. “Words can’t explain the feeling of losing someone to something so senseless… something that could have been prevented.”
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According to a post on MADD’s website created by Chris and his two brothers, Buck died instantly on the morning of Aug. 26 when an 18-year-old intoxicated driver hit him head on. In addition to three sons, Buck is also survived by his wife of 46 years, Victoria.
Janel and Chris tied the knot in her home state of Hawaii earlier this month, and the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” actress has continued to reflect on the joyous occasion with multiple celebratory snaps.
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“It’s not possible to love you more than I do,” she captioned one romantic pic of her and Chris locking eyes with one another.
The 29-year-old also shared that inclement weather during the outdoor ceremony didn’t affect her spirit.
“When you’re getting rained on, but you don’t care cuz you’re marrying your best friend surrounded by all your best friends and family,” she wrote in another wedding post.
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Although Janel and Chris’ big day was surely bittersweet without Buck, Chris told his social media followers recently that his dad still took part in a special way.
“Just married the love of my life and making Pops proud,” he wrote on Instagram, captioning a photo of him and Janel walking down the aisle after saying “I do.”
— Erin Biglow
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