Today a friend died. In 3rd period they made the announcement that she had died in the ICU, complications from a car accident that happened yesterday. Colonel Tatum made the announcement. I was surprised to see a man of his age, with as many people he's seen go before him, that he could hardly keep his composure as he made the announcement. We followed him outside to lower the flag in Deirdra's honor, one giant mass of tears.

She was making a left turn over 3 lanes of traffic when a truck hit her on her drivers side door. Her boyfriend was waiting for her at the flag pole at school, not knowing what happened. People that saw the car said it looked like it was only half the car it was. She was brought to a near by hospital to be stabalized, and reports have said that she lost a heart beat several times. When she finally was stabalized enough to travel, they flew her up to Scott & White hospital, where she had 2 surgeries to fix a broken pelvis and internal bleeding. She made it through the surgeries and the night, but this morning we lost her.

I was in JROTC with her. She was Charlie Company commander, and we were on the drill team together. Very good student, and well accomplished. She had plans for after high school, she was graduating just next week. Her boyfriend, and as I find out today, fiance, is in this class with me. At least he's not here. It was hard enough finding out about her death, bad enough to see how hurt he is.

This is the closest loss I've ever had. And all I can think about is her birthday party a few months ago. What a happy person she is. She just got that car. The kind of person I wish I could be. The world works in strange ways. The only other thing on my mind is how much she could've done if she had lived, and it was maybe..me in that car instead. What little of an effect it may have been.

RIP..it was too soon for you to go..

Kayleigh