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Memorial planned for Talawanda student

Amanda Drake’s family  plans event to celebrate  the life of 14-year-old  whose ‘smile lit up a room.’

Talawanda Middle School student Amanda Drake died recently from a ruptered artery. Today, many of her classmates, including Samantha Hannon, Chris Mock, Rachel Edwards, Caitlin Schomberg, and Allison Wood wore t-shirts to honor her.

Greg Lynch Talawanda Middle School student Amanda Drake died recently from a ruptered artery. Today, many of her classmates, including Samantha Hannon, Chris Mock, Rachel Edwards, Caitlin Schomberg, and Allison Wood wore t-shirts to honor her.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Meagan Engle, Staff Writer Updated 9:38 AM Friday, March 12, 2010

OXFORD — Amanda Drake was a bright, bubbly teen who loved children, bowling and singing, her family said. She met every stranger with a smile and every friend with a hug.

Though she had only 14 years with her family and friends, many said she left a legacy of love and generosity.

Now in her memory, her family is planning a memorial — an event they said will be as upbeat a celebration of her life as possible — from 1 to 5 p.m. March 20 at Talawanda Middle School.

“This is just a time to celebrate her life,” said Amanda’s mother, Julie.

“Not to mourn the loss, to celebrate the wonderful 14 years,” her father, Rob, said.

Amanda passed away Feb. 27 at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she spent 16 days after an abnormal connection between a vein and artery in her brain ruptured because of a birth defect known as arteriovenous malformation.

The Talawanda community immediately offered support. Amanda’s friend Parker Pearson started a Facebook.com page, which now has more than 860 members. The site gave Amanda’s family a place to share information and get messages of support.

“Amanda would have been so deeply touched to know that this many people cared about her and her family,” her father said.

Community members also started prayer chains and hundreds bought purple T-shirts designed and sold by Shawna Campbell, Shelley Fox, Lisa Hurley, Pam Lindley and Kelli Kuhn. The shirts quote the eighth-grader’s theme song, “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey.

“It was her favorite song,” said Amanda’s best friend Chloe Hoover.

The 13-year-old said Amanda was an amazing friend who taught her “how to love people and friendship.”

“She was really starting to come out of her shell,” said middle school principal Dee Lancaster. “She was always positive. She was just a very nice young woman who had a very bright future ahead of her.”

Amanda was planning to be a teacher or to work with children with disabilities. She enjoyed being at home, sitting by the pond, swimming and writing poetry about friendship and her family, which includes her sister, Kayla.

“She was definitely a free spirit,” her father said. “Everybody’s been saying throughout this that her smile lit up a room, and it did.”

“We want everyone in the community to know how deeply touched we are from the support, the prayers, all the time that some people have put into doing things for us,” her mother said. “We can’t say thank you enough.”