Ithaca, N.Y. — Two days before a tractor-trailer slammed through Simeon’s Restaurant, Amanda Bush approached her boss with some news.
Bush said she was pregnant, according to Dean Zervos, one of the owners of Simeon’s.
“She was just starting to release it,” Zervos said.
Bush, 27, died on Friday when a runaway tractor-trailer barreled through the Ithaca Commons and into Simeon’s Restaurant.
Bush was killed on impact. The operator of the tractor-trailer — Viacheslav Grychanyi — was given two tickets for driving an over-length vehicle and inadequate brakes.
In addition to being pregnant, Bush left behind a 14-month-old child.
“She was a fantastic, beautiful person,” Zervos said of Bush.
Bush was 18 to 24 weeks pregnant, according to Zervos.
She had plans to go to the doctor the following week to make sure everything was in order, Zervos said.
Bush worked at Simeon’s for about three years, according to Zervos. Zervos said she was “like family.”
About eight months ago, Bush was promoted to a new role as lead bartender at Simeon’s.
“She was progressing fantastically, creating new drinks and being a great person behind the bar that people wanted to come in and see,” Zervos said. “That’s how you create business and keep business.”
“She was positive, energetic, happy — she always wanted to do something new.”
