Rachel Merrell forever in our hearts

by Bailey Edwards
(Glide,OR)

On March 28th, 2008 someone very close to me died in a drunk driving accident. It was her, her boyfriend, and two other teens driving down Melrose road on a dark night. They were all drunk and her boyfriend was driving. She and another teen by the name of Anthony died in the accident. She went to Roseburg High School and was an active, loving, intelligent young woman. Growing up with her was an adventure; she was the same age as my oldest sister Jordan(18) and they had known each other since they were 4. She was like a sister to me and i had known her all thirteen years of my life. Not even 4 months after her death, Jordan moved out. I felt like I had lost two sisters and it was hard for me.
The Merrell family was blessed with four beautiful children.Rachel was an RHS cheerleader, she played volleyball, and was gorgeous! she was full of energy and no matter what mood I was in, she could always make me feel better. She was the most loving person and her loss was a heartbreak for even the people that had only met her once. She was a strong person that could stand up for anyone with her 5 foot 2 frame!!!
Drunk driving could be painful for not only you if you survive, but also painful for the ones around you. So next time you get in a vehicle after a couple, question yourself:How is this going to effect the ones around you if something goes wrong?

Thank you,
Bailey Edwards