News that hits too close to home

Devastating Crash Strikes George Fox Students
Two people were killed and three others injured in a head-on highway collision.
One of those killed, and all three of the injured, were students at George Fox University.
you can read the rest of the story here.

A student from my alma mater was killed about 1 am Sunday, Nov 18, as she and 3 friends returned from a jazz concert. They were headed south in a southbound lane on 99W when a car headed north in a southbound lane on 99W hit them head on, killing the driving of the wrong way car as well as one of the students in the GFU car.

I did not know this student. At this point, I don't many people at GFU anymore. But it hits close to home. I remember what it was like when 3 of my friends were in a car accident, late at night. They were all fine - a little sore, and a little stiff, but fine. And I remember driving that same stretch of 99 and seeing a car headed north bound in a southbound lane, directly toward us. Thankfully the car changed lanes and we honked like crazy. I'll never know if we helped that person realize that he or she was going the wrong way.

For some reason it's not uncommon for people to head the wrong way in that area. Anyone who drives it frequently knows that there's a grass median and that the road is 2 lanes in each direction. There are signs warning people "Do Not Enter" and "One Way," but obviously it's not enough. A 22 year old senior is dead now, because people can't read and can't use common sense.

I have no doubt that she is being mourned on campus. It's a small campus, and everyone would have known of her and have had some interaction with her, even if they didn't know her well. I hope that her friends and family can take comfort in the fact that she was surely well loved, and loved deeply, during her time at Fox.