http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5630173.html
Her brother said she battled depression, but her family thought she had been dealing with her problems.
"She was unhappy, but it was hard for her to open up about that and we all thought that she was coping," Daniel Van Meter said. He said she had opposed taking medication.
Van Meter was celebrated in 1993 and 1994 when she made her cross-country and trans-Atlantic flights accompanied only by a flight instructor. Her instructors said she was at the controls during the entirety of both trips.
"If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything," Van Meter said before her second trip. In her teens, she said she hoped to become an astronaut when she grew up. (much more plus pic at link)
Here's an article from 1994 about her.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEFD91730F93BA15757C0A962958260
A girl described by her parents as adventurous, determined and fiercely focused, she says that when she was "really little" she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up: an astronaut. She has already calculated that, by the time she is old enough for the space program, there will be expeditions to Mars.
"It would be neat to be part of that," Vicki says, her voice firm and direct. (much more at link)
Her brother said she battled depression, but her family thought she had been dealing with her problems.
"She was unhappy, but it was hard for her to open up about that and we all thought that she was coping," Daniel Van Meter said. He said she had opposed taking medication.
Van Meter was celebrated in 1993 and 1994 when she made her cross-country and trans-Atlantic flights accompanied only by a flight instructor. Her instructors said she was at the controls during the entirety of both trips.
"If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything," Van Meter said before her second trip. In her teens, she said she hoped to become an astronaut when she grew up. (much more plus pic at link)
Here's an article from 1994 about her.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEFD91730F93BA15757C0A962958260
A girl described by her parents as adventurous, determined and fiercely focused, she says that when she was "really little" she knew what she wanted to be when she grew up: an astronaut. She has already calculated that, by the time she is old enough for the space program, there will be expeditions to Mars.
"It would be neat to be part of that," Vicki says, her voice firm and direct. (much more at link)
