Friends remember girl who was a 'beautiful gift'
BY LISA NEWELL Gulf Breeze News lisa@gulfbreezenews.com

Brown

"God Bless Sarah Brown," read a sign taped to the fence at Gulf Breeze High School. "(Heart) SARAH!" was emblazoned with Dixie Cups in the fence stretched across the overhead walkway on Highway 98.

These spontaneous memorials and attendance of almost 1,200 at her funeral show the impact made by the 16-year-old girl whose life ended in a car accident on Saturday, Feb. 17.

S a r a h Brown and the car's driver, Brittny Still, 17, were both wearing their seat belts when the 2002 Saturn went off the roadway on Bayou Boulevard at approximately 7:45 p.m. The car was traveling at the posted speed of 35 miles per hour when the driver overcorrected and traveled into the path of an oncoming 1993 Lexus. There was no indication of drugs or alcohol.

"They weren't doing ANYTHING wrong," Sarah's aunt Julie told the crowd at Sarah's memorial service Saturday.

Emergency workers who responded to the scene of the accident refuted an earlier report stating that seatbelts weren't in use. Still and the two passengers in the Lexus were not seriously injured.

Sarah's fellow students, many of whom grew up with her in Gulf Breeze schools, were stunned that such a bright light could be snuffed out, especially when there was no one at fault.

Submitted Photo Brown was a straight-A student remembered for her successes, both academically and personally

Comments on Sarah's MySpace.com account told their reaction: "Wake me up from this horrid nightmare," one comment stated. The space became an instant online memorial, with over 1,500 comments posted.

Tim Thompson, pastor of Gulf Breeze United Methodist Church, said one word came up in every conversation people had with him, describing Sarah: "she was just nice."

"She was loved deeply, and she deeply loved," Thompson told the crowd.

Even in death, Sarah was giving. She and her mother, Kristen Sanders, had discussed organ donation before the accident, and nine organs were given to the neediest of recipients.

The process to donate was especially taxing on the family, who not only faced the tragedy, but also had to wait another day but also had to wait another day and a half for the organ donation surgery to be scheduled and accomplished. The intricate scheduling process involves teams of surgeons flying in to harvest the particular organ they later implant into their patient in different cities around the country.

One of the recipients was reported to be a 10-year-old boy who would have died within a week without a heart transplant.

A straight A student, Sarah was remembered for her successes, both academically and personally. She was enrolled in college classes at PJC while still a high school sophomore, and achieved the rank of black belt in TaeKwonDo while still an elementary school student. She participated in sports and cheerleading.

As she grew, she discovered her passion for music and began to wear the clothing and makeup styles of those in the "scene," highlighting her almond-shaped eyes.

While she began friendships with others in the music scene, Sarah remained friends with kids in every clique at Gulf Breeze High School.

Last Friday, the classroom televisions broadcast a slideshow memorial to Sarah, showing many photos of her enjoying her friends or posing in her room. There were even a few photos of her in the car before the crash on that fateful day.

Kim Aldridge, Sarah's PACE teacher for the academically advanced students, said Sarah was "intelligent, brave, purposeful and unique." Sarah held the record at Gulf Breeze Elementary School for the most Accelerated Reader points for quite some time.

"That's just the way she was," Aldridge said.

Several friends took the podium to tell how Sarah impacted their lives, and former classmate Ty Cummings performed a song for Sarah.

Sarah's Aunt Julie told how close "Sarah-licous" was to her little brother, Jamison, 7, and how their family was never considered "broken" because of the caring relationships between the father Brad and stepfather Eddie.

Sarah's stepfather, Eddie Sanders, said the reaction from the community was overwhelming. "We are constantly amazed at the love and support (and food!) flowing through our front door," Sanders said.

After the memorial service a huge buffet was prepared and served by the Orange Beach restaurant Live Bait, where Sarah's father, Brad Brown, is a manager, and members of Kristen's Mardi Gras krewe, the Daisy Dukes.

"Many friends lended a much needed hand," Kristen said.

Thompson said although those surrounding Sarah are shocked, stunned and left numb by her early death, they need to continue the journey forward, remembering the difference Sarah made in her short life.

"Her 16 years were a beautiful gift," Thompson said. "She made a difference in the lives of the people in this room."