Travel Influencer Dies Almost 1 Week After Suffering Severe Burns from Steaming Asphalt in Car Accident

Mar. 15, 2025

Elise Caffee, Instagram; Elise Caffe’s car accident.Photo:Elise Caffee/Instagram (2)

Elise Caffee/Instagram (2)

Parenting travel expert Elise Caffee has died, almost one week after suffering severe burns in a car accident.

On Wednesday, March 12, her family announced the influencer — known as@3kidstravelon Instagram — died on anInstagram accountdedicated to updates on Elise’s condition.

“We are absolutely heartbroken to share the news of Elise’s passing tonight. She held on so long and fought so hard against an impossibly difficult set of circumstances,” the post began, accompanying a photo of the influencer, her husband Dan and their three kids.

3 Kids Travel | Elise Caffee/Instagram

The tragic incident occurred on March 6 as Elise and her husband Dan wereinvolved in a 10-car pileupon the way to a wedding in Cancún.

“Our driver was killed and Elise was severely burned [and] I was uninjured,” he continued in the post. At the time, he added, “Elise is currently stabilized but in bad shape.”

Since the fatal pileup, their family had used the Instagram account@elisecaffeeupdatesto keep friends, family and followers in the loop as her loved ones hoped for her recovery. The page’s initial post described the accident in detail. The caption noted that Elise’s body was “badly burned,” though her face was not.

“A truck full of hot asphalt hit them, flipping their car, trapping Elise underneath, and dumping steaming hot asphalt on top of her as well as the people in front of the other cars,” the post from March 6 recounts. “It happened right in front of a hospital which is a miracle. Hospital workers rushed out and immediately started trying to help get people out from under cars as did my Dan, but were getting burned through their protective gloves because the asphalt was so hot.”

Though both Dan and the Instagram update account stated that Elise was stable at the time, the latter also shared that she was “intubated and sedated with a neck catheter to help her get fluids and medicine” after the accident.

Two days before her death, the family update page explained that themom was recovering from surgeryto remove damaged tissue and remained in critical condition. “She’s fighting for her life right now. She continues to need your prayers,” the caption read.

In one of the final posts before announcing Elise’s death, the family posted thatthey had a “calmer day"than the previous. Her daughters were able to see their mom in the hospital room and braid her hair, and Dan serenaded his wife with his guitar.

source: people.com