In memory of Erica Brussel
Killed on July 25th 1998
by a drunk driver

July 24,1998 was the last day of my life as I had once known it. I had spent the night at a friend's house that night and I woke up at 6:46 to my friend Jen saying "Becky, your grandma is on the phone." The look on Jen's face was one of terror. When I got to the phone my Grandma could barely spit the words out. She just kept saying "There has been an accident." "Who? Who?",I kept saying. Finally she said, "Erica." Then the words they are doing everything they can to keep her alive came next. She told me where to go, and Jen and I immediately were on our way there.

The car ride was very horrible. I didn't know what to expect when I got there. I thought she was still alive but, that it would be bad. Her whole life was flashing before me. I was so terrified.

Suddenly, we came to a stop in bumper to bumper traffic. The highway was backed up for miles. I looked at Jen and I said," This is her accident." I just had this feeling. I knew this traffic was from her accident. I jumped from the car and ran to one of the police officers who was stationed along the highway. I said," My sister was in this accident,you have to get me through. You have to get me to SLU hospital." He told me "No, exit Broadway like everyone else and get back on at Arsenal." I couldn't see the accident because it was miles up the highway, but I just had this gut feeling that it was Erica's accident.

I got back into the car and did what the officer told me to do. When we entered back on the highway Jen looked down to the highway and said, "Becky don't look." Of course I did. Only to see two very mangled cars. One of which belonged to my sister's boyfriend Nick. At that time Jen and I began to pray. We both knew that no one was walking out of that alive.

Someone did walk out of that accident alive. The drunk driver. The drunk driver that was driving down the wrong side of a divided highway. Erica Shea Brussel and her boyfriend Steven "Nick" Hampton were killed. The passenger in David Emigh(the drunks car) was also killed. Her name was Amie Titus.

Three young lives destroyed in a matter of seconds all because this man made a very bad decision to get behind the wheel after drinking himself into intoxication.

Upon arrival at the hospital I was taken to a small room where the door read "Quiet Room." I saw my Mother sitting on the floor rocking back and forth in a ball. Noone had to say it I knew my baby sister was gone. Soon after, my father arrived. As soon as he saw the look on my face noone had to tell him he knew. The pain I saw over take his body was unbearable. I just found out my sister, my best friend was dead and it killed me but seeing the pain in my parent's eyes was just as bad. They just lost their child. Parent's aren't supposed to bury their children. I was now faced with the decision to go in and see her or not. I made the mistake of going in. My Mother pulled back the curtain to the room where Erica was. I only saw her for one second. That image I will never forget. My beautiful sister lying there dead all because this man disregarded human life and law.

Erica was a very free spirited person. She was always kind and loving. To know her was to love her. She loved art and music. She wanted to go on to study photography. Erica told me that she wanted to live in the mountains and take pictures all day. Erica had lots of dreams that will never be fulfilled. Her life was taken to soon. I miss her everyday of my life. My life will never be the same without my little partner. We did everything together. What hurts the most is that she won't be here to see my two year old son grow up. My son(Caleb) was only nine months old when Erica was taken from us. I tell him about her and he says, "Erica in heaven" while blowing kisses in the sky. Why should my son have to visit his aunt in the cemetery? Why should thousands of people be left to grieve? Why does the drunk driver always live?

I beg you all to take the keys. Don't let your friends DRINK and DRIVE. The two don't mix. Please think about what you could do to yourself or someone else before you decide to get in a car after drinking. Think of the lives you could take and the lives you could change forever by killing someone's loved one. DRINKING AND DRIVING IS A CRIME AND IT KILLS!!!!!!!! Erica, I love and miss you everyday of my life. Till we meet again.

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