My name is Karen Hyde, my age is 42 and this is about my beautiful daughter Brandi. Her full name is Brandi Danielle Willis, she died on July 7th, 2000. She was involved in a collision with a Union Picific train. The train hit her in her driver door of her car and killed her instantly, for which I thank God, because everything in her body was broken.
When the railroad company started their investigation, they sent people out in town to talk to the kids that hung out on the streets to hear what they had to say about the accident. They called our lawyer and said that she commited suicide. That was the only thing they could come up with because they knew that the accident was the fault of the conductor. When he got to the crossing, he never blew his whistle. She never knew the train was coming.
Brandi was a beautiful person, inside and out. She had a heart of gold. She loved everyone and every thing, no matter who or what you were. Brandi and her brothers, Chris and Scott had a close and loving relationship. I have never seen brothers and sister so close. I know, you think I'm saying this because they were my children, but I'm not. There was always something very special about her that could make you smile just having her in the room with you.
I really wanted to say "Brandi, I miss you so much. I once told you that you would never know how much a mother loved her children until you had children of your own. Now you will never have that chance. I feel like a part of me went away with you. I sit and think about the accident and all I can think is that I should have been me in that car, not you. You didn't really have a chance to see what life was all about. You never had the chance to fall in love and have a family of your own. I can think of so many "only if's". But one thing is for sure, I will love you and miss you till we meet again. You'll always be in my heart.
I love you baby, Mom.
Karen Hyde
