Dr. Frank Cox came to see me at the hospital when Ashley was born he was also her pastor during her life. He officiated over Ashley’s funeral. I heard there wasn’t a dry else in church the morning Ashley was killed as Frank talked about my little girl. Ashley was a passenger in her car and her boyfriend was driving. He turned left on Peachtree Street and someone going over twice the speed limit going around a curve ran into them and the car was “t-boned”. Both Ashley, who was sitting in the front seat and a friend Jeremy, sitting in the back seat were killed. The case still has not gone to court.

I just stood by the casket at the funeral home most of the time just touching Ashley’s beautiful long hair, I didn’t want to leave. I could not even tell you who was at the funeral home or the funeral. The morning of the funeral I brought Rattle Baby, Ashley’s first Christmas doll. Ashley slept with Rattle at age 18. Ashley loved that doll so much. I held on to Rattle Baby till the last second and then I put her in Ashley’s arms.

Since losing Ashley, I have been on medication, went to a physiatrist for 2 years and I went through a divorce. I also lost my job as an accounting manager all because of grief. One of the doctor’s wrote a letter of recommendation and said I was no longer employed because of the tragedy I suffered. I not only lost my daughter, but I lost my life also. The only part of my life was the same was being Christopher’s mom. Chris was 3 years younger than Ashley. He just graduated from Collins Hill High School and moved to Iowa to go to college. Ashley was two months from gradating high school and going to college. I am very proud of Chris but it was a bitter sweet event as are all holidays, birthday’s, and angel dates.

One of the first, most important and special days in my life was on a Friday at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, GA on March 30, 1984 at 1:58PM. My beautiful daughter Ashley Lauren Hull was born. She weighed 7 pounds and 11 ounces and was 19 ½ inches long. She has dark brown hair and blue eyes. She was the most beautiful baby in the world to me. Ashley was a gifted pianist. She started taking lessons when she was 5. She took to the piano like a fish does to water. Ashley loved all types of music but her favorite was Les Miserable. Ashley also loved reading and writing. We would go to the book store every week to buy her a new book plus go to the library to rent books for her to read. Ashley won the Mosaic award for her writing ability.

My maternity leave was originally 3 months, but they needed me before then so when Ashley was 5 weeks old, I took her to work with me everyday and worked half a day. This arrangement worked very well since Ashley was such a good baby and rarely cried. When it came time to go back two work fulltime, Ashley’s aunt watched her for me. I spent my lunch hour with Ashley everyday and cried when I left her. After a few months, I quit my full time job and started keeping books at home.

I do not understand it at all why my daughter had to leave us and go to heaven, but I do believe in God and without him I would never make it through this horrible tragedy of losing Ashley.

The most important decision Ashley ever made came in January 2002. Ashley gave her life to the Lord. I know Ashley is in Heaven and one day I will be with her for eternity but for now the tears still flow and the depression sets in. What I would give to have Ashley here with me right now. I know that won’t happen, but I can always dream.

All days are very difficult for a bereaved parent. You can’t even imagine what it is like unless you go through it. You can no longer look forward to seeing your child grow up and make new memories. Ashley will forever be 18. Now my life consists of preserving Ashley’s memory so she will never be forgotten since I will never have any more memories with her in this world because of a careless driver not following the driving laws. He killed my daughter and her friend and countless lives of other teens are lost because of other reckless drivers who do not think before they get behind the wheel of a car.