Mitch McConnell's Sister-In-Law Made a Final Panicked Call Shortly Before Dying

Angela Chao, the sister-in-law of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, made a frantic call from her vehicle on the night she tragically died. According to the Wall Street Journal, her car had reversed, tipping over an embankment and into a pond. In distress, she reached out to a friend, saying, "The car had zipped backward, tipping over an embankment and into a pond. It was sinking fast. Could they help her?"

Chao, a 50-year-old billionaire shipping mogul married to venture capitalist Jim Breyer, had been celebrating Chinese New Year with friends at their 900-acre ranch in Johnson City, Texas. Despite the option to stay in the 10-bedroom guest house, she decided to leave around 11:30 p.m. that Saturday night, aiming to return to the main house where her 3-year-old son was asleep.

However, a fatal mistake occurred in her Tesla Model X SUV. The Journal reported that Chao accidentally shifted the gear into reverse instead of drive, a mistake she had made previously but with less severe consequences. This time, her vehicle ended up in a pond.

Friends rushed to help, and a series of rescuers, including the ranch manager and emergency personnel, attempted to free Chao from the submerged car. They faced numerous challenges, including difficulty reaching the site in the dark, the absence of a dive team, and a tow truck's cable that was too short, necessitating a longer cable.

Complicating matters further was the laminated glass of the car, designed for safety but proven "nearly impossible to break underwater." Despite efforts to resuscitate her, Chao did not survive.

Given the unusual circumstances surrounding the incident, local authorities have announced a "criminal investigation." The Blanco County Sheriff’s Office stated, “Although the preliminary investigation indicated this was an unfortunate accident, the Sheriff’s Office is still investigating this accident as a criminal matter until they have sufficient evidence to rule out criminal activity,” as reported by CNBC.

Angela Chao, the CEO of Foremost Group, a New York-based shipping company, was the sister of Elaine Chao, McConnell’s wife, who held significant government positions, including U.S. transportation secretary (2017-2021) and U.S. labor secretary (2001-2009). Following Chao's death, McConnell mentioned the family tragedy as a factor in his decision to step down from his Senate leadership role after the November election. Reflecting on the loss, he remarked, “When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there is a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process.”