Gina Heslop
In a tragic car accident, a nine-year-old girl named Brooklynn Newville and her five-year-old brother, Jace, lost their lives. After their deaths, their parents found a note Brooklynn had written to herself, listing the things she wanted to do before she died. Her wishes included seeing a moose, jumping off a cliff into a swimming hole, and visiting an ice bar in Alaska.
50-year-old Linda Irie was driving on the Turner Turnpike near Wellston, Oklahoma, with her three grandchildren: Jace, Brooklynn, and their cousin Isabella Anthony, who was six. They were on their way to get a baby lamb for Easter pictures. A 17-year-old driver crashed into their car from behind, causing it to hit two other vehicles. It was later found that the driver had been reading a text message at the time of the accident.
Isabella was the only survivor. The police reported that Linda, Brooklynn, and Jace were pronounced dead at the scene. Brian Newville, Brooklynn and Jace’s father, shared how difficult it has been for the family, mentioning that they had to move multiple times because he couldn’t bear seeing the places where his children used to be. Shaneé, their mother, expressed her grief on Facebook, describing how hard it is to continue living without her children and her own mother, who also died in the crash. She wrote about crying throughout her daily routines and lamented that her loved ones were gone forever.
Months after the accident, while cleaning Brooklynn’s room, her parents found a handwritten list of things she wanted to do in her life. The list included activities like scuba diving, seeing a moose, getting a drone, visiting an ice bar in Alaska, and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge. Brian emotionally recalled how Brooklynn always wanted to go hunting with him but never got the chance. Brooklynn’s parents vowed to fulfill all her dreams, no matter how long it takes, but there have been no updates on social media about their progress in completing her bucket list.
The driver responsible for the crash, Noah DeDear from Durango, Colorado, was charged with three counts of manslaughter in 2018. He was just a few days shy of turning 18 at the time of the accident and is being tried as an adult. According to the police report, DeDear admitted to sending a text message just before the crash but denied reading messages from his grandmother and girlfriend.
In 2019, Brian expressed his frustration with the slow court proceedings, questioning how someone could cause the deaths of three innocent people and not face immediate consequences. The family continues to seek closure and has started a campaign called “Put it Down” to encourage people to avoid using their phones while driving. The campaign aims to prevent similar tragedies by urging drivers to stay focused on the road and not be distracted by their phones or other activities.
