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Monday May 12,2008

14 year old's view on losing 16 year old brother and his best friend

by Tdubslilsis14

Hi my name is Alexis,

I just turned 14 and am in the 8th grade. About five months ago (December 2004) I lost my older brother who was 16 going to be 17 this May, and his best friend Kristin who was 16 also and was supposed 2 turn 17 last December. This is my story:

On Nov. 12, 2004, my brother had told us he was going to spend the night at a friend's house and that he was going to be home early the next morning for practice. My li'l brother(9) my parents, and my li'l brother's best friends and my best friends all went to the movies after Travis had left.

Later that night Travis-16, Kristin-16, Laura-17, and Nick-17 went on a road trip to Chicago to see where the Colts were going to play that week. They left without telling any parents, thinking that they'd make it home in time for them not to relize they were gone.

They were almost there, and had taken an exit to get something to eat in Gary, Indiana. They got back on the highway and started to drive off. Suddenly Nick, the driver of the car, lost control and Laura tried to help my pulling on his arm. They slid off the highway and hit a steamroller and went through a gravel pit. Laura and Nick were saved by the airbags, but my brother and Kristin were ejected out the side back windows.

When the police and ambulances arrived it was too late, Kristin had died at the scene of the accident. They searched for my brother and found him 60 ft. away from the car still alive but non-responsive with a broken right arm, ruptured spleen, one of his kidneys had failed, and he had major trauma to the head. They took all the teens to the hospital.

My parents got a phone call at 5:00 in the morning saying that their son had been in an accident in Gary, Indiana. My mom told them it couldn't be possible because Travis said he was spending the night at Phil's house. They asked for a description of what he looked like and sure enough it was my 16 year old brother.

The police told them to drive down to Gary as soon as possible, which is about a 3 1/2 hr. drive from where we live. My parents left leaving my li'l brother, me, and our two friends still asleep. At about 8:00 in the morning my mom called. My brother answered the phone (my friend and I were still asleep)and my mom told him that Travis had been in a bad accident and might not make it.

All I remember is waking up with my brother screaming with tears streaming down his face telling me mom was on the phone and that she wanted to talk to me. She told me the same thing as she told my bro and also that her friend Debbie was going to pick us up and our friends needed to call their parents to pick them up.

I hung up the phone not knowing what to do, it felt like the room was spinning so fast. I didn't cry because I knew it would make my bro more upset. I told him to pack a bunch of clothes because we wouldn't be home for about a week. About 20 min. later our friends parents came to' pick them up. My best friends mom was gonna stay w/us until Debbie came.

The doorbell rang and it was the Westfield police standing there, they came in and asked us if we had heard anything yet. We told him yes, and they left 10 minutes later. We stayed w/Debbie for that day being updated on what was going on. My aunt came to pick us up later that night and we spent the night with her for about 3 nights.

I finally got to talk to my mom, she told me her other sister (my aunt) was flying in from Salt Lake City to come stay with us so we could be home. Finally that Tuesday the 16th I went to see my brother at Methodist hospital in Gary, Indiana. He had been fighting for four days still unresponsive and on life support having it breathe for him. They told us he was getting better, and that we could come in and tell him that we loved him but we had to be careful.

We went to the waiting room which was reserved for our family and I' saw about 30 of my brothers closest friends who have been skipping school and staying the night wanting to be with my bro. My bro and I were told we couldn't sleep there that night because my parents didn't want us to. So we drove back home and got there at about 1:00 am.

Wednesday was our first day back at school since the accident that weekend. We went, it was really hard with all the questions people asked and people not leaving you alone. As soon as we got home from school we got some bad news. Travis was going to have brain surgery that could end up going wrong and take away my brother's life.

My bro doesn't usually get out from school until an hour after I do. So my aunt went to pick him up and we headed straight for the Hospital. We had heard that the surgery had gone ok, but a few hours later we found out what we never wanted to hear. The doctors told us that there wasn't any possible way he could be saved now, and that they would keep him on life support so everyone could come up and say goodbye.

Thursday, November 18th, 2004, my brother died at 5:00 am at Methodist Hospital in Gary, Indiana.

I miss him so much, he was the best brother in the world! I still don't understand why all the best die young, but I know this happened for a reason and God is watching over both of them. I just wish I had another chance to say "I love you" one more time. Never forget to say those words because tommorow it may be too late.

I hope my story changes how you make your decisions in life, and that you make the right choices. Don't get in the car w/someone who has been drinking. It could take away your life in an instant. Like it did to the 16 year olds, Travis and Kristin.

NEVER FORGOTTEN

Travis Scott Woerner~ 5/12/88-11/18/04

www.traviswoerner.com

Kristin Marie Rice~ 12/13/87-11/13/04

www.kristinmarierice.com

Dedicated to the 7 Hamilton county teens who died in a car accident last year, 2004.... all 16 or 17 years old....

www.whenyoudrive.com

I'm Alexis and I lost my 16 year old older brother in an accident in November caused by drinking and driving. Killed was Travis (16) and his best friend Kristin Rice- also 16...