In Memoriam

In memory of 

Brittany Marie Jordan, 18 of Ocean Springs

Carley Taryn Jordan, 20 of Ocean Springs

William "jerrod" Thompson, 20 of Biloxi

Richard G. O'Barr, 20, of Biloxi

Candice Newman, 20 of Biloix

Joshua Scott Bozeman, 21 of Biloxi 

On Jan. 12, sometime between the ending of one day and the beginning of another, in extraordinarily heavy fog, six young people died at the crossroads of rural highways near Wiggins. 

In the week since their deaths, local newspapers and television stations have repeated theri names, their ages, the schools they attended, what activities they participated in and who their friends were. They have shown their college ID photos and quoted shocked teachers and classmates. People of the Coast remain stunned by the accident that took so many young lives at once and injured two others. 

"Everyone seemed to be related to these kids," one citizen said. It seems that everyone you talk to knew one of them, or knows someone who was close to them or related to them or went to school with them." 

They were very close to each other: sisters, brothers, boyfriends, girlfriends, cousins, life-long class mates. Brittany and Carley were sisters. Carley and Candance were "inseparable" best friends. Candice and William were cousins. All six were graduates of Mercy Cross High School, at different times, and some went on to attend the same colleges. According to friends and school faculty, the entire group, including Chris Rutland and Allen Martel, both of whom survived the accident, were a close-knit group of friends. The small campuses where they attended school are filled with shock and sorrow. 

Some of their friends made a memorial to them in the days after the accident. Six, tall wooden crosses stand on the lawn at the home of Candice Newman. Each cross has the first name of one of the lost carefully painted on it. Flowers lay at their bases. Remnants of a campfire with chairs all around it testify to a vigil held the night before. 

People use the word "lost" when describing death. The word is that much more true when the losses are young  people, lost at a time in their lives when childhood was being left behind and their futures lay stretched out before them. To lose a young person is to lose the potential of what was to come as well as the treasure of what was. That their deaths should happen as one day was finished and a new one had not yet begun, as they were trying to find their way home, in the confusion of  fog, makes the word "lost" so much more real.   

All six have been laid to rest now. Others who have suffered such a loss know that the pain and grief of their loved ones has only just begun. For them the last week has probably been filled with shock, the days played out before them like bad movies. For most, the pain will never completely go away, but only become tolerable as time and the support of others help to mend their hearts. 

With humble words, the staff of The Bay Press expresses its deepest sympathies and sincere sentiments of compassion to the parents, siblings, family and friends of all of the victims of this unfortunate accident. We offer our hope and wishes  that all those suffering this loss will find the strength and courage to heal with grace in their own time. 

We also extend our wishes to Allen Martel and Chris Rutland as they heal from their injuries and cope with this unfortunate experience.While attention is focused on this loss because of it's tragic nature, we extend our sympathies, too to all those in our community who are going through the grief of losing someone they love.