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"She said, 'Mom, I'm on my way to work.' I said, 'OK, I see you when you get home,'" said Angela Dorsey, the mother of a woman killed at the New Orleans International Airport Wednesday morning.

Jermani Thompson always seemed to have a basketball in her hands.

Her mother says she was a basketball guru.

"She loved basketball — that was her thing," Dorsey said.

Word quickly began to spread Tuesday night that the 26-year-old had been killed in an industrial accident.

"The doctor said that her hair got stuck in the conveyer and they say they tried to cut her hair but they couldn't," said Dorsey. "She died on her way to the hospital."

Thompson, who was employed through GAT (Ground Line Air Support), was unloading baggage from a Frontier Airlines flight at about 10:20 p.m. Minutes later, her mother received the call.

Mike Hough, CEO of GAT, said Thompson’s hair apparently became entangled in the machinery of the belt loader.

A coworker of Thompson who wanted to remain anonymous spoke exclusively about what he witnessed.

He says he can't get the image out of his head and people can't stop crying about it.

Tougaloo College issued the following statement on Thompson's death:

"We are all heartbroken to learn of the sudden death of Tougaloo Eagle Miss Jermani Thompson, who tragically died on August 30, 2022.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to the family, the Class of 2019, friends, and the College community as we mourn the loss of a spirited, caring, and thoughtful, scholar, athlete, and alumna.

"We extend our thoughts and prayers to the family and ask God to give them peace and strength to rely on each other during these difficult times and, more importantly, to rely on God.

"Proverbs 18:10 tells us, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.”

"We will provide an update about Miss Thompson’s services as soon as they become available."

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