Arlington mother killed in crash remembered as ‘everybody’s mom,’ sons say

Investigators say speed may have been a factor, and they’re investigating if street racing led to the crash that killed Tanya Cypert.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Along a busy stretch of South Cooper Street in Arlington, a grieving family returned to the place where their lives changed in seconds.

Chance and Ethan Cypert stood near the intersection of South Cooper Street and Eden Road remembering their mother, 54-year-old Tanya Cypert, who was killed in a crash Friday afternoon.

To them, she was more than a mother, she was their best friend. Friends and coworkers often described her as “everybody’s mom.”

“She really was just a great person. She was very selfless,” her son Ethan Cypert said.

According to the Arlington Police Department, officers responded to the intersection around 12:34 p.m. Friday after reports of a major crash involving two vehicles.

Investigators said Tanya Cypert was driving a 2022 Hyundai Tucson southbound on Cooper Street and was in a turn lane attempting to make a left turn onto Eden Road when a northbound 2025 Mercedes-Benz collided with her vehicle.

Her sons said she had simply been on her way to pick up food. Her French bulldog, which often rode with her, was in the car.

“It was just a normal day and then in the blink of an eye…” her son Chance Cypert said.

Chance said he first realized something was wrong when he received an automatic SOS alert from his mother’s phone.

“I was like this can’t be good. I gave her a call and it was an off-duty police officer who picked up,” he said.

Tanya Cypert was taken to a local hospital but died about an hour later, according to police. Her dog also died in the crash, her family told WFAA.

“They went together. I don’t think she would’ve had it any other way,” Ethan Cypert said.

Back at the crash site, tire marks and debris still line the roadway, reminders of how violent the collision was.

“Her engine flew about 300 yards that way,” Chance Cypert said, pointing down the road.

Police said the driver of the Mercedes-Benz, an adult man, was also injured and taken to a hospital.

Crash investigators believe speed may have played a role in the collision. Authorities are also working to determine whether the Mercedes driver may have been street racing before the crash, though that has not been confirmed.

No arrests have been made and no criminal charges have been filed, according to an Arlington PD spokesperson.

For Chance Cypert, the loss is difficult to process.

“You wanna be angry so badly when something like this happens, especially when it’s unnecessary and people making dumb decisions,” he said.

Instead, he says he is trying to focus on the life his mother lived.

“She wouldn’t want us mourning her death. She would want us celebrating her life,” he said.

A family friend has launched a Gofundme to support Tanya Cypert’s family. Family members said Tanya Cypert worked at Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, where she formed close relationships with coworkers who say she often took on a motherly role.

“I’m still kind of in shock. It doesn’t really feel real,” said Karen Arce, a former coworker.

Arce said she still expects to see Cypert walk around the corner.

“I guess I’m still waiting for her to turn around the corner,” she said.

As the investigation continues, Chance Cypert hopes his mother’s death serves as a reminder to others on the road.

“Think about other people before you make these decisions,” he said.