With Me In Spirit
by: Angel Friend Amanda

Saturday Ramblins, Vol. 1, No. 12 (August 1, 1998)

My name is Amanda. I am 18 years old and I have just graduated from high school. When I was seven, a very dear friend of mine was taken from this earth. She was a lovable little girl with a beautiful smile and curious eyes. She always asked questions and never gave up until she had an answer. Each day she brought a smile to someone's day and a laugh to her friends and family. One day, on the way home from her first day at soccer practice in her short little life she was hit by a drunk driver. The whole town was devastated. No one knew what to do.

Since I was only seven, I didn't know what death was. I tried to understand. "You won't ever see Jillian again." This is one thing that I could not comprehend. "What do you mean?" I don't remember that time very well, but I know that I wanted to see her.

My parents told me that she was in heaven. They bought me a purple helium balloon and I wrote messages to Jillian on it. We went in my backyard and let it go. I watched it until it disappeared into the sky. I still believe that Jillian got the messages on that balloon.

After Jillian's burial, my parents took me to visit her grave. Her gravestone had not been put up yet. Her name was written in little stones along the top of the grave J-I-L-L-I-A-N. I cried and cried. My best friend was not here anymore — the truth finally hit me. My mom tried to comfort me and tell me it was okay, but there was no way, it was not okay! I thought about her a lot for the next few years. I wished there was something that I could have done. Her life was taken unjustifiably by a stupid, heartless drunk.

When I reached the middle school I joined SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving). My SADD quest continued into high school. During my freshman and sophomore years, I attended sessions of my state legislature. After two years of trips to the State House, and much speaking from Jillain's mother, other concerned individuals and groups and me, "Jillian's Law" was enacted. "Jillian's Law" increased the minimum sentence for vehicular homicide from one to five years and the maximum sentence from 10 to 15 years. It's not much, but it helps!

I have now joined MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and help with its annual leadership conference. At the conference, we help to educate high school students about drugs and alcohol.

Jillian made all of this possible and I owe her. She has been with me through it all. She should have walked down the aisle at our first communion, confirmation, graduation and every other milestone in my life. She was not able to do that in body, but she walked right next to me, in spirit, at the important times and at the everyday times.

Jillian will always be with me. I thank her and wish that everyone could have been touched by her ... who knows, maybe you have been! :-)

I visit her grave often and I will for the rest of my life. She will be my forever friend, and I hers. Jillian is my angel and she has touched many people without ever meeting or speaking to them.

Here is the web page my mother made for Jillian; it is still under construction, but I hope you visit it. I'm sure Jillian would love for you to meet her.

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