The past 24 hours have been filled with sadness as we morn the loss of Kelly Tracy. Kelly was a 16 year old sophomore at Highland High School in Gilbert, AZ whose life was tragically cut short when she was killed by a drunk driver yesterday morning.
As her fellow Highland High Marching band mates were preparing to go to a performance in the Gilbert Days parade, Kelly and her brother Matt, a Senior at Highland and also in the band, were involved in a near head-on collision that occurred at 6:30am as they were just minutes from joining their band mates.
Mesa police say Manuel Contreras-Galdean, a 32 year old illegal immigrant, was intoxicated. According to ABC15, he has at least one prior conviction for drunk driving in Tempe in 2007.
I was a volunteer “band parent” yesterday and was with the kids when the announcement was made that Kelly had died. Thankfully Matt’s injuries are not life-threatening.
The outpouring of emotion was overwhelming. When a beautiful, vibrant young lady is struck down at such a young age, it is difficult to comprehend. That a man, previously convicted of drunk driving, was again driving drunk — at 6:30 in the morning — makes this all the more tragic. This tragedy, and the suffering of so many people, was completely preventable. It was a senseless act of murder.
Last night, dozens of Kelly’s friends gathered at her church to remember her. As the kids came to the front and told stories of Kelly, it became abundantly clear that we’d lost a very special person. Watching teenagers pour out their hearts, struggling to cope with a loss of this magnitude was both exceedingly painful and warmingly remarkable at the same time. No one, much less a group of teenagers, should ever have to go through what these kids were enduring. Yet their love for Kelly, and for her life, shined through. While I suspect many harbored thoughts of anger for the man who killed Kelly, no anger was expressed. What I saw was a bunch of amazing young adults, delivering deeply poignant messages. Last night was for Kelly, and those who loved her.
Personally, I can’t look at the picture of the “man” that killed Kelly without feeling sick to my stomach. I simply can not comprehend what was going through this animals mind when he slipped behind the wheel of a car yesterday morning, drunk, with no license. He’s alive today, and Kelly is dead. Contreras-Galden has been charged with one count of Manslaughter and one count of Aggravated Assault. If he gets out of prison before he dies then a travesty of justice will have been served. I know I should be able to forgive him, but I can not. I’ll leave that to a higher and greater power.
Please, please, don’t ever drink and drive. Take a cab, call a friend, do anything but get behind the wheel. It only takes a split-second to snuff out a life and to spread incalculable suffering.
An impromptu memorial to Kelly is in the beginning stages outside the Highland High School Band room (near the north west corner of the school). A Teddy bear with a Highland hat, a candle, and a picture have been left. I suspect this will grow over the next few days. As the kids return to school tomorrow and the word spreads of Kelly’s tragic death, these kids are in for a rough time. An empty seat in the classroom, a missing smile, a silent xylophone. These reminders and more will make these wonderful young adults sad, and angry. Time will ease the pain and anger, but time will not erase the wonderful memories Kelly Tracy left behind.
God speed Kelly. You will be missed, but never forgotten.
The family will be setting up accounts to help defray the costs of Kelly’s funeral. You can get more details here, including online donation.
Also, on Kelly’s beloved Facebook a group — In Loving Memory of Kelly Tracy — has been set up.
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My heart goes out to the parents and friends of Kelly. Losing someone so young is a shame. It’s made worse by the fact it could have been prevented if the drunken fool who killed her would have shown some common sense and not drove. Nothing will bring poor Kelly back, but still we should throw the book at drunk drivers, I don’t care who they are.
Jay, thanks for sharing this with all of us. Yesterday, when I read about this tragic event, I thought it was best to keep my comments to myself. I have found myself thinking about this girl, her family and her friends and I am truly saddened. Like so many others, I want to wish my sincere condolences to all of you. I did not personally know Kelly but this kind of tragedy makes any human feel sick to their stomach.
As you say, God speed Kelly.
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If there is anyone who would like to talk to me about Kelly’s life for the Arizona Republic, please call me at 602-444-4601 or on my cell at 623-512-8798.
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Barely back on the Web since being gone all week and now this… this makes me sick to my stomach. First thing I did, after saying a prayer for Kelly and her family, was call my little girl. Being that she is sixteen and out on the road once in a while, this whole tragedy is a huge wake up call to how precious life really is.
@Jeffrey Javier, all I can say is: bad form… bad form.
Jay,
Very cool of you to “volunteer as band parent” during the announcement of this horrible news. I have been hearing about way too many DUI related accidents lately. I just saw a guy yesterday doing a breathalyzer at 8am!!! Recession/Depression or not, don’t drink and drive.
Please send our condolences to the family. Sounds like she was a amazing young girl.
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This is such a sad time. I knew Kelly from worshiping together at church and I will tell you she was soooooo talented. She was a singer song writer and I was looking forward to hearing her on Klove some day. I know she is blessing the Lord now in Heaven with her beautiful voice. We will miss her!!
I am one of the band kids and was on the trip. I don’t think any of us will ever forget Kelly. She was an amazing friend and was very talented. I still can not believe that there was a drunk driver at six thirty in the morning. We all miss you and God speed Kelly!
Jay - That which was a promising tomorrow has evaporated into a beautiful memory and tremendous sadness. Having raised four children, we have had our share of grief as they have lost friends to such sensless madness and all we can do is wonder why? My heart and prayers go out to Kelly’s parents - a parent should never have to bury their child. Prayers for God’s blessing to each who are dealing with this tradegy.
As I read these articles with tears streaming down my face, my heart aches for this family, school and community. This is absolutely devastating and could have been prevented. Why is this criminal still driving our streets when he was previously convicted of DUI and has been an illegal immigrant for 14 years?! Why wasn’t he deported the first time he was caught committing a crime in our community? Instead he was set free to destroy a young girl’s life. My heart goes out to her family and friends, their lives will forever be changed. Please post when the account is confirmed and if there is anything else we can do to help.
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The only ones MORE criminals ARE the beasts who let that drunk driver out the first time; , judges, lawyers, etc.. never mind what “technicality” they found. That useless parasite of an illegal alien took one of our citizens away. Let’s throw him in the worst prison to rot away; deporting him now is an act of mercy… for the criminal, and a slap in the face for the victim’s family and friends.
Sorry but I was involved in a drunk driving accident as the victim and I AM STEAMED! Oh, by the way, I hope Mothers against Drunk Drivers have some weight in your area; they were pretty much useless in Central Mass. The court system, my insurance agent, the insurance companies, the police, all pretty much gave me the feeling I would have had more weight in the matter if I got seriously injured. It shouldn’t take death after death after death to straighten these messes out!
Thank you so much for writing this. Kelly was my friend and I will miss her so much. We are all so sad. Today at school is really going to suck.
Highland student -
I am so sorry about Kelly. You’re right, school is going to suck today. Bad. I wish there was something I could do or say to ease your pain, but there isn’t. You don’t have to be strong and tough. Hug your friends, cry, and try to remember the good times you had with Kelly.
There are a lot of people out there thinking of you today. Our hearts are out to all the Highland students.
Take care.
Jay I am really sorry for the lost of a precious life. My sympathy to family and friends of Kelly.
This is just awful. I understand what your going through and what will be facing her family and friends as they try to understand and adjust to life without Kelly. A few months ago we lost our nephew, he survived two tours of duty in Iraq only to be killed in the streets of NH by a drunk driver. It makes no sense that something like this can happen. I’m so sorry for the loss of Kelly!
Hold your loved ones tightly in your heart.
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Jay,
We lost an 18 year old niece about 12 months ago in a similar accident. The pain of losing a young person, just on the threshold of life in a senseless act of stupidity is unbearable. People who say that time heals all wounds don’t know what they are talking about. My heart goes out to the brother, he will live with the loss for the rest of his life.
I don’t drink (I used to) and when I go to parties it always amazes me how many otherwise good, caring, responsible people drink too much and drive. They never think they are “that” inebriated, they won’t be talked out of driving, they are in blind denial about what they are doing.
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Very sorry to hear this as it reminds me of when I lost a friend when I was in high school due to a drunk driving accident. To the school student who commented. Yes, today will not be pleasant, but I will say having friends around at a time like this will help. Be strong.
God bless the family.
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Kelly was a very nice girl, i sat next to her in our history class. It is a terrible loss, she was a very bright student as well as a very friendly person. she had a great personality and sense of humor. we always joked about things during class. She will be greatly missed by Mr. Bair and his third hour students. We will miss you Kelly.
Travis Meisenzahl
This is absolutely tragic. My heart goes out to Kelly’s parents, her brother and friends. I was in a Marching Band and I know it’s a tight knit group, especially the drum line and percussion. You guys are a family and I know you all are mourning. I’m mourning with you. When you take the field in competition you’ll take Kelly and she’ll be with you all, always.
I was unable to open the previous posting for the memorial fund, so here it is again.
The account is open at Washington Mutual “For benefit of Kelly Tracy Memorial Fund.”
My heart goes out to the friends and family of the victim.
This is soooo sad. I did not know her personally but I am also a student at Highland. This is such a tragic accident and it just makes me get teary eyed thinking about it. I am 16 and driving out there and it just makes me sit back and think about how precious life is and that it can be over just like that. I wish I could help make the pain less for her family and friends. It is definately very tragic. I lost a friend a few years ago, not to a drunk driving accident, but it was still very hard. God Speed Kelly.
So sorry to hear about Kelly - there HAS to be a way to stop this madness - to think that a beautiful and innocent life was taken away for an irresponsible act like drinking and driving. You are doing your part by putting it out there.
My thoughts and prayers are with her friends and family.
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My heart goes out to all of you suffering; what a horrible shame for a wonderful young lady to lose her life, while the drunk responsible lives.
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I didn’t know Kelly, and in fact didn’t even know of her until I saw a link to her memorial page on Facebook in my brother’s profile. She obviously touched many lives during her short time here. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who mourn her passing and celebrate her life.
Really sad when a young talented girl dies due to someones careless actions. I can’t even imagine what he family is going through. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends .