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Ashley Ross, the star of Lifetime’s hit series Little Women: Atlanta, was in a hit-and-run car accident and succumbed to her injuries. She was 34 years old.
The tragic news was shared in a statement posted to her Instagram account early Tuesday morning by management for the TV personality.
“It is with profound sadness that we confirm on behalf of the family of Ashley Ross, aka ‘Ms Minnie’ of Little Women Atlanta has succumbed to injuries from a tragic hit and run car accident today at the age of 34. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.”
Ross leaves behind her mother, Tammie Jackson, who was a regular presence on the reality show and often stood up for her daughter during conflict with co-stars. The two were very close.
She was also in a relationship with an Atlanta producer by the name of Slickbeatz, whom she had been dating since 2019. He posted about her passing, calling her the “love of my life.”
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Co-star and close friend Amanda Salinas Castillo, one half of the Salinas twins on Little Women: Atlanta, shared her grief soon after the information was announced by Ross’s representatives.
“As I’m writing this I’m in tears I can’t believe it my Minnie !!!!” she wrote. “Why did they take you away from us !!!! WHY!!!!! It always seems like we have all the time in the world, only to realize how fleeting it really is. I wish we had more time to do and say the things we saved for later which along with you is gone forever.”
“I promise to keep you alive in my memories and be there for your mama and aunt,” she continued. “You were more than our best friend you were our big sister and still is !!! I still can’t believe this man why man why!!!! , I love you so much !!!! My heart is broken. Rest In Peace my love.”
Outside of being a cast member on the Lifetime series, Ross was also a hairstylist in Atlanta and appeared on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show.
Back in 2016, ahead of the series premiere of the Atlanta spin-off, we asked her about how she maintained a positive outlook as a little person who dealt with rejection and the judgmental stares of other people. She noted that she was encouraged by her mother to embrace what made her different, and in turn, special. When she was able to do that, she never looked back.
“My mom, she’s my rock. She’s my best friend. She sat down with me one day and said, ‘You have people staring at you. Give them something to stare at,'” she said. “So I always kid with her and say, ‘You created a diva.’ Because when she told me that, well, nowadays, it takes two hours for me to get ready. And when I walk out of the door I’m on point because I’m like, I don’t know who’s staring at me and who is trying to take a picture of me. But if they’re going to stare, I’m going to give them something to stare at.”
