Sarah Hyland Speaks out About Tragic Death of Family Member

Sarah Hyland shared a sad tribute to a lost family member on Sunday, and fans did their best to comfort her. The Modern Family star revealed that her teenage cousin was killed by a drunk driver one year ago, making her family’s Thanksgiving table a little dimmer. Hyland urged fans not to get behind the wheel after drinking.

Hyland shared the story of her cousin Trevor Canaday in posts on her Instagram Story, which have since expired. She posted text on plain black fields, the tragedy her family experienced on Dec. 1, 2018.

“Thinking about my family today. Exactly one year ago my little cousin was killed by a drunk driver,” Hyland wrote. “A senseless and reckless act took away a beautiful soul. You’ll forever be in our hearts and in the sunsets. Love you Trevor.”

According to a report by The Daily Mail, Trevor was 14 when he passed away in Omaha, Nebraska. The drunk driver ran a red light at an intersection at the time, which caused the collision where Trevor was hit.

Trevor was riding with his father, Bryan Caraday. The drunk driver was 37-year-old Jeffrey Eggeling, who reportedly left the scene of the crash on foot.

Eventually, Eggeling was caught and tried for motor vehicle homicide, driving under the influence and causing serious bodily injury. According to a report by PEOPLE, he plead no contest to the charges. He was sentenced to 43 to 53 years in prison.

Bryan Caraday was still recovering from facial injuries sustained in the crash as of July. Eggeling, meanwhile, will reportedly be eligible for parole after as little as 21.5 years of his sentence is served. He has two prior DUI charges on his record.

Fans were heartbroken for Hyland, who is best-known for playing Haley Dunphy on Modern Family. The show is in its final season now, and Haley has grown from a shallow teen girl archetype into a working mother of twins.

Even in its final seasons, Modern Family lives up to its title by portraying the economic realities facing the younger generation of characters. Whereas their parents were relatively wealthy homeowners, Haley is forced to stay at home with them or else live in a shack, as she and her boyfriend are not college educated. Meanwhile the most financially successful of the Dunphy children, Luke, got his start working at their grandfather’s country club, making connections with wealthy members.

Modern Family airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.