The Netflix star Sara Burack, best known for the reality show Million Dollar Beach House, was killed in a hit-and-run in the Hamptons in New York last Thursday. She was 40 years-old.
Burack Killed In Hit-And-Run
Southampton Town Police were called about an “injured woman” along on Montauk Highway, near Villa Paul Restaurant just before 3am last Thursday. The restaurant told Daily Mail that it was closed at the time of the incident. Burack’s body was reportedly discovered by a cleaner at a nearby hotel.
When police arrived on the scene, they found an unconscious Burack lying in the road. She was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
A friend of Burack’s told Fox News that she went into cardiac arrest at the scene. EMTs were able to revive her, and she was placed on life support. Sadly, Burack suffered extensive brain injuries, a fractured skull and various brain bleeds.
“She was just a great person… a hard worker,” the friend said. “Real estate was her life for so many years.”
Driver Arrested
A massive manhunt was immediately launched to find the driver who hit Burack. It culminated in the arrest of marine biologist Amanda Kempton, 32, on Friday. She has since been hit with a felony charge of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident in which there is a fatality. Kempton is facing up to seven years in prison if convicted.
On Saturday, Kempton fought back tears in court as prosecutor MacDonald Drane requested the high bail of $100,000. He described her as a flight risk, as she lives in Virginia while her family lives in Manorville, New York. Indeed, Kempton had been set to return to Virginia for a wedding on Saturday.
During this court appearance, Kempton’s lawyer William Keahon claimed that she thought she’d hit a traffic cone when she hit Burack. He alleges that his client didn’t see Burack because the area was foggy at the time of the incident. After leaving the scene, Kempton went to a friend’s home. It was there that she found Burack’s large, pink, wheeled suitcase lodged underneath her vehicle.
She had spent time at a tavern before mowing Burack down. However, her lawyer claims that alcohol is not a factor in this case. Police were able to locate Kempton by using a license plate reader to track her movements. They ultimately found her vehicle at her family’s home. Officers noticed immediately that the front end of it was damaged.
Kempton has since been released from police custody after her family posted her bail. She grew up in Virginia, and holds degrees in microbiology and marine biology from George Mason University and Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Kempton reportedly currently works at 4-H’s Camp Jekyll, which is located on Georgia’s Jekyll Island.
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Burack’s History
Burack was best known for appearing on the reality television show Million Dollar Beach House. It ran on Netflix for one season back in 2020. This show pitted Burack and other real estate agents against each other in a “fierce” competition to sell luxury homes in the Hamptons.
Burack previously worked as an agent for Nest Seekers International, a global real estate firm specializing in luxury properties. Before leaving the agency last year, Burack worked primarily in the firm’s New York City and Hamptons market.
“My family has a commercial construction material sales business that I spent many years of my life working for,” Burack told Hamptons.com in 2020. “I have always been intrigued by real estate projects and decided to become a broker after my experience as a summer property manager in the summer house I would rent.”
“I have been spending half the year in the Hamptons for the past 11 years. It was only natural to turn my love for real estate into a blossoming career,” she added.
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Burack’s Loved Ones Honor Her
Real estate agent Paulette Corsair was with Burack hours before her death.
“Sara was always laughing and there for everyone,” Corsair said. “She was an amazing person. The most hardworking person you’ll ever meet.”
“She was a philanthropist, she helped raise money for cancer charities and animal things,” she continued. “She had her whole life ahead of her.”
Geoff Gifkins, Nest Seeker’s Hamptons regional manager, spoke out to say that Burack kept in touch with her colleagues after leaving their firm.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with family and friends,” Gifkins told Newsday. “Please be kind and respectful as this is a tremendous loss to her parents and close friends.”
Burack’s family said that she was someone who would “befriend everyone she meets” and was “loved greatly.” On top of her real estate career, she was an avid philanthropist. Indeed, Burack volunteered with the Young Professionals Committee of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society NYC Chapter and served on the Penn Club House committee.
In 2017, Burack was nominated to run for Woman of the Year by staff and other volunteers with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Please join us in saying a prayer for Burack’s loved ones during this tragic time. Rest in peace, Sara Burack.
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