Tribute

The local news have covered my niece's accident which was to be expected. Hordes of people have turned up at my sister's house with flowers and laid them in the garden and her lawn is like a floral sea. I found the following on the site of the local newspaper and thought the tributes paid within it were very fitting. They describe Jess to a 'T':

TRIBUTES PAID TO TRAGIC JESS
09:00 - 11 September 2007

Tributes have been pouring in for 11-year-old Jessica who died following a road accident at the weekend. Jess was riding her bike on Saturday in the street near her home, when she was involved in a collision with a car.

She had started at Secondary (High) School a week before the accident. An assembly was held for fellow year seven pupils yesterday morning and a remembrance book put in the library for pupils to sign and record their thoughts. Her death has also hit the community of her Junior School hard. In a prepared statement, head teacher Dave Smith remembered a child who loved dancing.

"Jess always gave her best at school, impressing a string of teachers with her effort and application; she achieved some super standards in her classwork," he said. "But what she lived for most was her dancing. "Jess's love of dancing and her enthusiasm for performing were legendary, whether the audience was an impromptu gathering of pupils and staff in the school playground or, as in last year's year six drama production, a full hall and audience of more than 200, she loved it all - and we loved her. "She was a girl with true sparkle, one that will burn bright in the hearts of anyone who was fortunate enough to know her."

He said she joined the Junior School in September 2003, transferring from the nearby Infant School. "The younger sister of Chris, she announced her arrival with an infectious smile and a sense of fun that became the outstanding feature of her personality," he said. "As a result she made friends with teachers just as easily as she did with the boys and girls."

The secondary School head teacher, Simon Packer, said: "There are obviously many kids who knew Jess and who are very upset today. "She made an excellent start at our School and she was a popular girl in her tutor group. "At the assembly the staff and pupils had a minute's silence. Mr Packer added: "I spoke to them about thinking of the family at this difficult time and for those who knew her well, I told them to remember the good times.

"The collision happened at around 6.30pm at a T-junction off the road where she lived. A 17-year-old man was driving the black Vauxhall Corsa involved in the collision. Jess was taken to hospital with head injuries, but died on Sunday. Tributes were posted on the local newspaper website all day on Monday.

My niece had her whole life ahead of her. I am deeply saddened that she will never dance again, that she will not fulfill the potential that everyone saw in her, that the world is quieter without her and that she simply never got the chance to experience life; you know, growing up, dating, studying, getting a job, marriage and all the things that follow. I have a story. Recently she was heard remarking that she had an 'In a minute' Grandad. "What's that?" she was asked. "Well", she explained, "whenever you ask him to do anything it's always 'in a minute". She cracked me up.

I am truly touched by all the people that have visited here and left supportive comments. Each and every one of them has been appreciated. Thank you especially to Mar, Naomi of Here in the Hills, RS of Musings from the Hinterland, Melody and Beckie who reached out to the blog community on my behalf. I have never met you but it meant the world that you cared. I will not be around for awhile now but I will be back soon and I will get around to visiting again then.