Family, community honor Molly Mullens on what would have been her 11th birthday with highway dedication
On what would have been her 11th birthday, the Mullens family gathered surrounded by pink ribbons, sunshine and community support to honor the life — and legacy — of Molly Mullens.
Molly, a Park Cities girl, died two years ago after a crash on a North Texas highway while traveling home with her family from a ski trip. Another vehicle crossed the median and struck them head-on.
"Molly would want us to notice the beauty around us, to look out for one another and to keep moving forward," mother Marissa Mullens said during the ceremony.
The milestone brought both love and pain.
"Milestones of birthdays when you've lost a child are obviously going to be painful," Marissa Mullens. "I don't think anything can prepare you for that day."
As part of the remembrance, a stretch of U.S. Highway 287 in Wilbarger County was officially dedicated as the "Molly Mullens Mile" — the same highway where she lost her life in March 2024.
In the months following the crash, Molly's mother, Marissa Mullens, worked with State Senators Morgan Meyer and Tan Parker to push for change. Their efforts led to the passage of House Bill 2457, which added concrete median barriers to the roadway and named the stretch in Molly's honor. The highway had been linked to multiple deadly crashes in recent years.
"They really rallied together with TxDOT and fixed a major problem that was between those two roadways," father, Michael Mullens said.
Marissa Mullens added that the dedication serves as a reminder for every driver who passes through that life is precious.
"Now when people drive that stretch of road, they'll see her name and be reminded that someone on that road is somebody's whole world," she said.
Outside University Park Elementary, a memorial adorned with pink — Molly's favorite color — stands as a symbol of how deeply she is still felt in the community.
Pink ribbons were also joined by green ones last year, acknowledging that multiple Park Cities girls died in the flooding in Kerrville over the summer.
Marissa Mullens says families navigating grief should not do it alone.
"Encourage those families to seek out other bereaved parents," she said. "Those are the people who will truly understand what it feels like."
As balloons were released into the sky, the Mullens family said they hope Molly's legacy will continue to bring light — and help prevent future tragedy.
"I love you, and I want to make you proud every day," Marissa Mullens said to Molly, looking in the sky.