Amber's mother wrote an email to me...i thought everyone would like to read it.
Dear Friends,
My daughter was an exceptional child. She turned 21 just one week ago. She was to graduate this summer with a bachelors degree in psychology and had just received her acceptance letter for graduate school in exercise physiology. She was involved in 2 honors research projects, had been to Atlanta just the weekend before her death to present on one of those projects and presented on her birthday in Louisville. She will be published this year. One of her research projects will help to support OT theory.
I feel so honored that the University of Louisville established the Amber Heuerman Honors Research Fund in one day. I am comforted to know that her legacy will live on for many years to come.
Amber was traveling alone after dark in severe weather trying to get to work. I try to imagine what it was like for her, the pounding rain, the tornado winds, the lightening, the hail the size of marbles. She lost control of her car, spun around, and hit a trailer that had pulled off the road. The impact was so forceful that she was knocked unconscious and died almost immediately. But I was comforted today when I spoke with the EMT that treated her. He arrived too late to help her but he took her hand in his and said a prayer. She did not die alone.
Today my house has been buzzing with activity preparing for Amber's funeral tomorrow. Family have arrived from as far away as Wisconsin. Amber's friends gathered here to create many displays depicting various facets of her life. Her former figure skating coach will fly in tomorrow from Iowa to attend the funeral and share with others her skating ventures and accomplishments. We are going to celebrate her life and give her one hell of a send off.
Connie