According to Charles Carr, the following morning, they continued their trip, driving toward Chattanooga, Tennessee. At Fort Payne, Alabama Hank bought a pint of bourbon and the two had breakfast.

It has been claimed that snow slowed their progress through and beyond Chattanooga. But again, the Farmer’s Almanac tells only of fog in the area. The two continued on toward Knoxville, Tennessee. They arrived in Knoxville at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 31st.

It was obvious Hank would not be able to make the Charleston show unless he flew. The two boarded a flight at 3:30 p.m., but the flight was turned back to Knoxville due to weather conditions. It was about 6 p.m. when they left the airport to seek shelter for the night.

They checked into the Andrew Johnson Hotel at 7:08 p.m. At this time, Hank required the assistance of two porters to help him get to his room. He began to hiccough convulsively and a doctor was called, who administered a shot of morphine and vitamin B-12 to the intoxicated patient. Carr called promoter AV Bramford to tell him that they would not be able to reach Charleston in time for the performance, but could possibly make the New Years performance in Canton, Ohio.

On December 31st at approximately 10:45 p.m, Hank and Charlie got into the Cadillac. Many accounts state that Hank was unconscious and physically lifted into the back seat of the car. This simply isn’t true, according to Charles Carr and hotel employee, Emanuel “Chico” Martin. In an interview years later, Chico stated that not only was Hank conscious, he was talking with him. During that time, Hank said, “When you drink like this, this is the price you gotta’ pay.” The accounts of Charles Carr and Emanuel Martin nullify those accounts claiming Hank died at the Andrew Johnson. Carr then drove to an all-night Esso service station to refuel and within minutes was back on U.S. Highway 11 headed northeast into an icy, snowy night.

About an hour after leaving Knoxville, Carr was stopped in Blaine, Tennessee by Patrolman Swan Kitts when Carr almost hit Kitts’ police cruiser while passing someone. During this time, Patrolman Kitts asked about the man in the back seat and Carr explained that it was Hank Williams and he'd been drinking and was on medication. The patrolman commented that Hank looked dead. Carr had to follow Kitts into the town of Rutledge, where he was fined for reckless driving.

At approximately 1 a.m. on Thursday, New Years Day, Carr was back on the road. He had been awake for over 24 hours, driving under the most treacherous of conditions by the time he reached Bluefield, West Virginia. Ahead of them lay more mountains, more ice and more snow, the continuation of an ordeal, the likes of which young Carr had probably never before encountered! In Bluefield, Carr picked up a relief driver, Donald Surface, who drove a cab and was probably more experienced in driving under these conditions. He picked him up at the Dough Boy Restaurant, located next door to the Bluefield Cab Company where Surface was employed.

While there, Carr recalled that Hank got out of the car to stretch his legs and Carr asked him if he would like something to eat. Hank responded "No, I just wanna get some more sleep", then returned to the car. That was the last thing, that Carr could recall Hank having said.

Again the story becomes muddled. Carr, very fatigued at the time, couldn't remember how far Surface drove and doesn't remember where he dropped Surface off. But, he does remember that at some point in the trip, he looked back and saw that the blue overcoat and blanket that Hank had over him had fallen off. He stopped by the road to put them back over Hank when he found that Hank's hands had become stiff and cold. This stop was believed by many to have occurred near the Skyline Drive-In Restaurant on Highway 19 in Hilltop, West Virginia.

According to some accounts, Carr then went into the Skyline and asked an older man inside the place to come outside and take a look. At that time, the man advised Carr that he "had a problem" and directed him to the nearest hospital at Oak Hill, six miles away.

According to other accounts, Carr drove all the way to Oak Hill and pulled into Burdette's Pure Oil Service Station and requested assistance. However, Carr later described this account as "bunk", that Burdette's had nothing to do with it at that point. Carr said he drove directly to the Oak Hill hospital. He pulled around to the back side of the hospital and summoned help. Two interns checked Hank and one told Carr, "He's dead!" An intern, Dr. Diego Nunnari officially pronounced Hank Williams dead.

Carr called home to let his dad know what had happened. Hank's mother in Montgomery, then called Carr. The last thing she said to him was to take care of the car. At this point, Hank's car was placed in a work bay at Burdette's Pure Oil Service Station.

Hank's body was taken to the Tyree Funeral Home, located across the street from the hospital where it was autopsied at 3 p.m. The cause of death was listed as heart failure. The funeral home kept rooms available for mourning family members and friends of the deceased. They provided one for Carr, who later described the people of Oak Hill as being very nice to him.

As law enforcement officers searched Hank's car, they found what appeared to be a scrap piece of paper. On it were scribbled the last lyrics known to have been written by Hank Williams.

On Saturday, January 3, 1953, Hank's body was transported back to Montgomery. His funeral was held in the Montgomery Municipal Auditorium on Sunday, January 4, 1953. Over 20,000 people filed past his coffin to pay their respects and outside was a crowd of tens of thousands, listening to a live broadcast of the tragic event. It is said to have been the biggest funeral ever for an Alabama-born celebrity. Among those present were dozens of country music’s biggest stars. He is interred alongside Audrey in Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery.