Catherine Adamson hopes her poignant plea will save a life as dear as her daughter Heidi's. WISH YOU WERE HERE To the man who bought beer for the teenager: Today, Heidi would have celebrated her 19th birthday. But on the early evening of Sept 12,1997, a Friday night, you were just coming out from the Langley Hotel when a 16-year old boy approached you and asked for a favour. You see, he was going to party with his buddies and, needing a case of beer, he asked if you would be so kind as to purchase some for him. Being the nice guy that you are, you probably thought, "Sure I'll help you out... boys need to have fun, don't they?" You re-entered the bar/beer store and selected a case for the lad and his friends. You know the brand... we see it all the time advertised on television with the same message aimed at boys and young men: You cannot have a good time hiking, playing ball, snowboarding, camping, dancing, playing street hockey and just partying unless you consume a vast quantity of this beer. Now you give the boy his beer and pat yourself on the back for helping him out, for being the good guy, a man's man helping the kids have fun. Do you remember?? Do you know what happened after the under-aged boys drank the beer you purchased for them?? Let me tell you. Of the two boys who drank your beer, one drank much more than the other. He was also the driver. He thought he was in control but, at age 16, his experience did not allow him to correctly assess his lack of sobriety. As the evening progressed he became more and more intoxicated. Just past midnight, he was alone in his car, driving too fast, passing in and out of consciousness. He approched the area in South Langley and Surrey known as Stokes Pit, where more than 100 teenagers were gathered. Most teens were 17 or 18 just starting their Grade 12 year at school, the "Big Grad Year", and students from five or six Langley high schools were represented at this park. Some were drinking, Many were not. The party was ending and they were gathered in groups on the side of the road, saying their goodbyes as they started getting into their cars to go home. The boy you "helped out" that night then smashed his way... driving on and off the road... through this large group of teens. Bodies flew. At least 25 were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Ashley Reber, 17, died instantly. Heidi Klompas, 17 died of her injuries 3 1/2 torturous weeks later. Most of the teens were severely traumatized and many have lifelong injuries that have forever changed the course of their lives. At least two boys I know of were qualifying for sports scholarships, but those hopes were dashed because their legs were broken at the start of their final and most important season. A few lost an entire year of education. Some lost two. Many still need counselling to deal with the nightmares, depresion, suicide attempts, pain and anger. Some still need more operations, surgeries and physiotherapy. The families of these 100 students have ridden the waves of terror and trauma with them. Some families were literally torn apart. Can you ever imagine having to bury your child?? Please take a good look at Heidi's picture, clip it out, put it in your wallet and show it to the next kid outside a liquor store asking you to help him out. Do this one thing for Heidi. Happy Birthday Heidi. Wish you were here. Love Mom
She penned the birthday wish so that bootleggers see that they may be saving a life when they refuse to buy beer for under-aged kids. "If just one person can stop and think, maybe that's one less carload of kids that we'll have to read about in the paper," Adamson said.
This page was made in the memory of Heidi and Ashley. They will truely be missed and always loved.
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