Jessica Warner
November 27, 1986 - November 6, 2005

Jessica's story told by her mother

Jessica and I were in a car accident in July of 2001. She was fourteen, just ready to start high school. Life was good! A nineteen-year-old boy ran a stop sign and hit us at highway speed. She sustained a mild brain injury. She had problems with memory and mood changes. She struggled to make it through her high school years. She was a good student and after the accident, she had to have help in the resource room and tutors. She was unable to take tests because she could not remember the information that she had learned. Her mood had changed so she was very short and different and lost all of her friends.

This was her freshman year, suppose to be the best years of her life. She tried to commit suicide several times, on one occasion when she was air cared to the nearest hospital due to an overdose of her medications; she almost did not pull through. I do not know if she fully understood her behavior. That was when I made the decision to quit my job and stay home with her. After a lot of medication changes and counseling, she was able to complete high school and regain some of her friendships. She was living hell on earth I felt on some occasions. All she wanted out of life was to graduate with her classmates that she had gone to school with since kindergarten. She was able to forgive everyone who had hurt her emotionally and we could learn a lot from that. She had to grow up way beyond her years. She was able to start college and stay in an apartment with a roommate and supportive help as she had really wanted to do.

She started college in August of 2005. Things were starting to look up for her. She still needed some help in school and with medications and problem-solving skills which she obtained through Goodwill Services coming into the house every week. She met a boyfriend which I still keep in touch with. She wanted to become a psychologist to help people understand brain injury because so many people do not understand that if you do not see broken bones you do not have a problem. I went up to visit her four days before she died. We met with her support group and arranged for next semester classes. She told me she wanted to take some religion classes. She was a very strong Christian girl but I thought at the time was she changing her mind on her college career. We went to a movie, out to eat.

The time spend with her was great. She was going to come home with me that weekend and due to gas prices I told her we could take my car and leave hers there since I had to come back up there on Monday for an appointment. On the ride home that day, I will never forget, out of the blue she told me a friend told her that not everyone was going to make it to heaven. She said she wanted everyone to go to heaven including her family and friends. When we got home Saturday we went to visit family, my sisters, cousins, ect. That day went good. She was in such a good mood. Sunday we went to church and she was just glowing. The pastor even mentioned it later. We have lunch on the first Sundays after church. I had brought her favorite, apple pie. She told me she needed to get home and get her laundry done and visit with the grandparents before returning to college. I remember coming upstairs from the basement of our church and seeing her sitting in a pew all alone upstairs. She looked so beautiful. Also during singing, she kept hugging and kissing me, which was normal but a little bit more than normal.

When we got home she said she was going to go over and see Grandma before she started her laundry. She got into an old vehicle we had as a spare to drive. I remember seeing her leave. She was so happy. I did not realize it would be the last time I seen her. We received a call from a friend looking for her son at our house. She said that there had been an accident out by our place and there was a fatality. I called Grandma and she said Jessica had just left. A pit went down into my husband and I stomach because we knew that something was not right. My husband threw on his shoes and headed out. He told me to stay home. He got to the accident and he said that a parent should never go through anything such as he did. The car had caught on fire and only metal remained. I remember calling him and he was hysterical. He said it is the blue car. Jessica is gone. I will never forget those words. A mother's worst nightmare.

In a journal Jessica had written it said that all she wanted out of life was to be happy and to help other people. I think she truly got everything out of this world that she wanted. At her funeral I asked the Pastor to have us all pray the salvation prayer. She was in a class of 25 students and only three was not there, plus a lot of other young people and adults were there. SO if one sole was redeemed that day, to her it was all worth it. She was the most caring, compassionate, grown up beyond her years, beautiful daughter anyone could ask for. Although her time here on earth was short I know she is in a better place and she does not have to suffer anymore. I did not understand the compassion I feel now for others who have lost a child (my only child) but my heart goes out to everyone that has had such a terrific blow. It is like none other. My wish for all of you is to find peace someday that I am hoping to find myself.

Love and prayers,

Jessica's mom

Pam Warner