Shelby Fontanoe, Dale Jacobs, Abbie Jenkins and Maggie Bryson, co-workers at Harmony Pet Resort.

EATONTON, Ga. — Maggie Bryson loved life and people.

Such was especially true of those she worked with at Harmony Pet Resort at Harmony Crossing in Putnam County.

“Maggie was only with us for a short period of time, but she certainly made a large impact on our staff here,” said Stephanie White, who has owned and operated Harmony Pet Resort for the past 16 years. “We are very devastated by what happened and her loss.”

The 24-year-old Bryson died Saturday from injuries she received Thursday in a car-truck collision that happened at a traffic light at the intersection of North Columbia Street and Log Cabin Road in Milledgeville.

The truck driver involved in the rear-end collision with Bryson’s Toyota Yaris, Rashad Rashad Amiri Leshore, of Lithonia is charged with vehicular homicide in the second degree, running a traffic controlled device, following too closely, and fatigued driving, according to Sgt. First Class Kevin Pope, commander of the Georgia State Patrol post in Milledgeville.

Several of Bryson’s organs were donated so that other people might live, according to posts by family members on Facebook.

Bryson was a customer service representative at Harmony Pet Resort.

“She greeted our customers and made reservations here at our front desk,” White said in a Monday telephone interview with The Union-Recorder. “She was the front face of my business. Her face was the first thing our customers saw when they walked through the front door.”

White said Maggie was special in that she had a unique way of making people feel good.

“She had a way of saying things that made people smile,” said White. “She truly cared about people and loved life.”

White said Bryson made it a point every morning to stop by and tell her good morning.

She always had a big smile on her face.

“I’ve had a lot of employees working for me over the last 16 years and I’ve known a lot of people in my lifetime, but Maggie was one of those special people that I just felt like I’d known my whole life,” said White. “There was just something truly special about Maggie.”

Her smile was contagious, because it was genuine, her former boss said.

“It was exuberant,” said White, noting that she would sometimes come back to her office and share experiences with dealing with a difficult customer.

“She found a silly way to laugh it off and make you laugh with her about her experience,” said White. “She always made everything a smiling experience.”

White said it had been a very difficult time for her and staff members to deal with the death of one of their own.

“It’s been a very emotional time,” White said. “I was actually out of town when this happened.”

Since her death, it’s been a difficult time for the staff, White said.

Bryson loved her new job so much that she quit attending classes at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville to work full-time, according to her former boss.

“She thought of us as a special place to work and we definitely were thrilled to have her working here with all of us,” said White. “We were proud to have her full-time.”

White said she would never tell someone to quit school, but Bryson thought that was what was best for her and she supported her decision.

“I said if that’s what you and your family think is best, then we absolutely would love to have you come work here with us full-time,” recalled White.

Maggie actually came aboard in that capacity towards the end of September of last year.

“She fell right in with all of us,” said White. “She was a very special girl. We’re all going to miss her big time.”

White said the tears still were flowing  at Harmony Pet Resort.

“Maggie was the kind of person that drew light on everyone she met,” said White.