It was around 3:30 on a Friday morning when Anthony Astorini got on Interstate 85. He was 28 years old, living in Moore, South Carolina, and heading out for an early shift at work. To anyone else on the road, it was just another quiet start to the weekend.
A few miles down the highway near Exit 63, a car traveling north in the southbound lanes slammed directly into Anthony’s Hyundai. The impact was head-on, killing both Anthony and the other driver on the spot, and stopping traffic cold in Spartanburg County.
Anthony was originally from Freehold, New Jersey, before he settled down in South Carolina. He worked as a Transportation Security Officer, a job where he spent his days screening passengers and keeping security lines moving smoothly. Coworkers knew him as the guy who could always crack a joke and brighten up a long shift.
At home, Anthony was getting ready for the next big chapter in his life. He was engaged to his fiancée, Destiny Barron, and the two were building their future together in Moore. They spent their weekends with family, sharing big Italian dinners and seafood meals.
People who knew Anthony well talked about his energy. He was big into fitness, spent plenty of time lifting weights at the gym, and loved talking about health remedies. On top of that, he was a massive fan of Star Wars, Marvel movies, and collecting Godzilla statues.
His parents, Enrico and Phyllis, along with his brother Vincent and sister Marissa, were close to him throughout his life. Losing someone at 28 leaves a massive hole for a family that expected to share decades more memories with him.
State troopers are still working to figure out how a driver ended up going the wrong direction on I-85 that morning. But for Anthony’s family and friends, the focus remains on remembering a young man who gave his best to everyone around him.
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