Friends stunned by death
Two others injured in car accidentBy AMANDA SMITH-TEUTSCH Tribune Chronicle
Article Photos
SOUTHINGTON - Just months after pinning on flowers at their junior prom, the friends of Christie Manchester, 17, were taking flowers to a makeshift memorial at the site of the car crash that killed her Monday.
"She was such an intelligent person," said fellow Southington schools classmate Brandon Shafer. "She was really a great person."
Shafer said he hung out with Christie every day before school. He lives close to the 100-year-old school building on state Route 534, and Christie came to school early each day with her mother, Bonnie, who works in the office. They spent time together each day, though less recently as Christie had been taking college courses at Kent State University Trumbull Campus in Champion.
She and her friends Kaylynn Barco, 17, and Ellen Becker, 18, had been heading home for the night Monday when Christie lost control of her Pontiac Grand Am and struck a tree on State Road in Champion. She was killed in the accident; Barco is in serious condition at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren, and Becker, of Struthers, was in critical condition at St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown, where she was flown after the accident.
Manchester's friends spread the news through late-night cell phone calls and through their MySpace Web pages. On her Web page, Manchester posted her thoughts about life and love.
"People leave unexpectedly," she wrote. "You'll never know all the answers. Sometimes you'll never know the truth. But the best part of knowing this is that, knowing for whatever reason it all happened, in the end it makes you who you are. I'm living my life the way I want to. There's no point going through life trying to impress everyone. ...You only go through life once, and we're not getting outta this alive. So take some chances."
Shafer said he visited with Christie's family Tuesday, trying to be supportive and remembering the good times.
"Once I went with her and and her father to Cedar Point, and we did the bungie jump," Shafer said. "This is so hard, very hard, for everyone."
Maria Pelayo, another senior at Chalker High School, spent Tuesday visiting with Kaylynn in the hospital.
"She's trying to keep positive, smiling, looking for little jokes," Pelayo said. Pelayo said she lived nextdoor to Christie from age 3 to last year. The two girls were close, and was part of the group with Kaylynn.
"It's not real," she said. "I feel like she's going to call me and say, 'Hey best friend, I'm alright.' I'm relieved Kaylynn is going to be OK, but I'm heartbroken over Christie."
Christie was taking computer and history classes at Kent Trumbull, and was hoping to go to college and pursue a career in forensic pathology, Pelayo said.
Sydney Beck, who now lives in Champion, said the night was hard.
"None of my friends got any sleep," she said. Like Shafer, she got the phone call about 2 a.m. informing her of the accident. "Today we all went to the hospital and saw Kaylynn. It was good to see her smiling, but going to the site of the crash was really hard, seeing everyone with flowers."
Southington schools Superintendent Frank Danso said the school board notified the high school student body and staff through the phone messaging system, and also let it be known that counseling would be available for those who needed it.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family," said Danso.
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purple51
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08-06-09 9:59 AM
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yourneighbor, I think you are right. Pahootaman doesn't usually make negative comments like some of the others on here. He was probably just sending a sarcastic dig to WARREN4504 who only knows how to SHOUT.
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yourneighbor
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08-05-09 2:31 PM
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Avery1- Thank you for the update. Healing prayers for Ellen.
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Avery1
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08-05-09 2:21 PM
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Ellen has not passed away. She in fact had surgery this morning to repair three vertabrae. Please keep her and all other families involved in your prayers.
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yourneighbor
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08-05-09 12:21 PM
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I agree Feuz, but I think pahootaman's comment was a sarcastic dig directed at Warren4504. Prayers and emotional support to the families and friends of the girls. My heart aches for your loss.
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feuz1019
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08-05-09 12:14 PM
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To Warren and pahoot your comments are one of stupidity. Many times people post out of grief. Plus once we take away the ability to post comments freely our free speech has been taken away. If you don't like what your reading change the page. Just like television if you don't like the show change the channel.
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yourneighbor
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08-05-09 11:56 AM
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Teens thrive on information, they crave it. When a tragedy like this occurs, teens want to know every detail, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Information, conversation, discussing memories, and just being with friends are ways of coping and dealing with their emotions and grief. To some, visiting the accident site or viewing the mangled wreckage may seem morbid, but to these kids it makes it real and gives them closure to come to terms with what they are going through. They need to mourn, they will remember her life and the good times, as well as the tragedy of her death.
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baller12
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08-05-09 11:44 AM
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i was a friend/classmate/teammate of christie's, we may not have hung out all the time but she could make friends with anybody! and if you knew her, you know she didn't deserve this!!! nobody does! and yes Ellen Becker did die yesterday, and Kaylynn another friend/classmate/teammate of mine is in the hospital and doing okay! she's a fighter and will make it! just remember to wear your seatbelts, it makes all the difference! my prayers and deepest sympathy goes to the Manchester, Barco, & Becker families! and may Christie rest in peace!
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blahblahblah
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08-05-09 10:32 AM
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What a horrible experience, God bless all of these girls and their families/friends. WARREN4504 didn't realize you were all reigning queen of news stories. The family needs all of the help and support of everyone and anyone in this situation, sorry you can not comprehend this.
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speedy50
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08-05-09 9:25 AM
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There is no question, this accident and the deaths are tragic. My sympathies to the families left behind during this time of grief.
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anniemae
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08-05-09 9:15 AM
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Freedom of speech here & these people sound pretty sincere that are posting. It's a way for them to express their sympathy. If Warren & pahootman don't want to offer support, then YOU stay off the site & quit judging others. You don't know what's in their hearts. This is a tragedy & others feel the families pain.
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sylvi040709
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08-05-09 9:11 AM
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my prayers and heart goes out to this family, i'm so sorry for your loss. my prayers also go out to the other girls and their families.
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Truthful
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08-05-09 9:10 AM
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please tell me what the purpose of the website is if not to find out information? Unless you NEVER use it......don't knock it! Regardless of how people find out information, they are still wishing these families well and they are all in everyones prayers.
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pahootaman
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08-05-09 8:56 AM
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I'm with WARREN4504, how DARE people go to a news website to find out the news. The nerve of some of you people... geesh, get a life people.
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Truthful
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08-05-09 7:16 AM
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it's out of concern ding dong...sometimes this is the only way people find out things and maybe they want to help contribute to the families....it's not about being nosey, although there may be some that are, but I would like to believe it's out of concern and people wanting to help out if possible.
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WARREN4504
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08-05-09 7:02 AM
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PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO STOP POSTING ON HERE ABOUT HIS STORY -- ITS NOBODY'S BUSINESS -- GET A LIFE PEOPLE MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS !!!
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Truthful
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08-05-09 6:54 AM
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My prayers go out to the families.......may Christie rest in peace. Someone commented that Ellen had died last nite, does anyone know that for sure.
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