Found Deceased VA - Sarabeth Hammond, 17, Roanoke, 28 Dec 2016

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From those maps, it doesn't look like it is even that bad of a curve. Were the roads slick?
 
It looks like she did not make the turn of the curve. Wonder if speed had anything to do with it?

Of course, driving in the dark, on a curvy road like that, and at 17, not much driving experience, it all makes for a tragic event.

So sorry for her family and friends. A young life gone too soon.
 
Gardenista said:
From those maps, it doesn't look like it is even that bad of a curve. Were the roads slick?
Click to expand...

We had flurries/snow on and off. The roads aren't bad but i can see how it could cause problems especially since it was dark around that time. Her blog said something about her suffering from seizures, that could have also had something to do with it.

I was hoping for a better outcome, her family will be in my thoughts.
 
Gardenista said:
From those maps, it doesn't look like it is even that bad of a curve. Were the roads slick?
Click to expand...

I'm sure the road was slick, and it looks like she was probably driving too fast for conditions. She may have been coming down the hill too fast and couldn't negotiate the curve, hit the retaining wall and then went down the side of the mountain.

Also since she was just 17, obviously she didn't have a lot of driving experience. That probably didn't help either.
 
Lots of interesting information in this article.

Recovered body believed to be missing teenager

The wreckage was found Saturday afternoon on the mountainside off the 9200 block of Bent Mountain Road (U.S. 221) after a caretaker came to check on a house located in a curve along the road and spotted damage to a wall and landscaping at the house.
The caretaker also noticed debris on the steep hillside and a white vehicle down the slope and then called authorities around 2 p.m., according to Amy Whittaker, a spokeswoman for Roanoke County police.
Police, fire department personnel and other first responders lined the shoulder of U.S. 221 Saturday afternoon as authorities worked to recover the body and then the vehicle. The body was recovered around 3:55 p.m.
The wrecked car was 125 to 150 yards down the mountainside, Whittaker said. The driver had been ejected from the car and was found about 50 yards from the wreckage, she said.
Click to expand...

Apparently this is not the first time something like this has happened on that stretch of road.

In years past, other cars have left Bent Mountain Road as they traveled northbound on this stretch of road, hitting curves as they begin the descent from the plateau of the mountain.
In April 2001, a teenager found a wrecked car in a ravine behind a relative’s house in the 8100 block of Bent Mountain Road. Remains recovered at the scene were later identified as those of Joe Lockhart of Roanoke, who had disappeared at age 79 in July 1998.
A police detective said Lockhart’s car, a dark blue Buick Riviera, was about 500 feet off the road, down a steep slope.
Click to expand...

Recovered body believed to be missing teenager
 
Absolutely heartbreaking :cry:

RIP Sarabeth :rose:

My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends :grouphug:
 
I watched a video from local news last night of the car. It appeared the car was sitting on the hood, so the underside would have been visible from the sky. Maybe why the drones and helicopters didn't see it. Combined with the snow showers, and the high winds, it made air search difficult. Although I didn't see anything about official search groups out, I did see many posts from friends of the family stating they were out looking, riding the roads looking for anything.

Must have been one heck of a wreck to eject her, her luggage, her medication, and clothing from the car. I just pray she wasn't sending that last text to her Mom at the time of the wreck. No matter how many times you try telling young ones NO PHONES while driving, it's their life line, and when you aren't in that vehicle, they are going to use it! It wasn't until my kids each lost friends due to texting and driving that they finally realized how dangerous it really is. Teens just think they are invincible.
 
"The hope was that she was in the car and that she had survived it, but the chance of that was just so little," says Dan Smith.

Smith met Sarabeth through her grandmother. The two bonded over their love of writing.

"She's so good at it that we invited her to make a presentation at the Roanoke Regional Writer's Convention at the end of this month for professional writers," says Smith.

One topic she frequently discussed was Lyme Disease. Something she knew all too well.
"A few months ago she went into remission for the first time since she was 12," says Smith. "Oh that kid was delighted."
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http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/409182285.html

RIP Sarabeth :rose:
 
From one writer to another, farewell sweet girl. Thought your candle has been extinguished, may your light still shone.
 
So heartbreaking to see someone who suffered and fought so hard through Lyme, have her light extinguished like this. :( Beyond heartbroken for her family.
 
DetroitLives said:
So heartbreaking to see someone who suffered and fought so hard through Lyme, have her light extinguished like this. :( Beyond heartbroken for her family.
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This was my same thought. I too have Lyme Disease, it is no joke at all. I recently became about 75% better, enough for me to be able to attend veterinary school. Her post about the doctor taking out the port made the spot where my picc line used to be ache. So many people don't realize how severe Lyme Disease can be and it breaks my heart she JUST went into remission, her life was getting back to normal, and this happens...IMO.

RIP Sarabeth.
 
cnmccarthy said:
This was my same thought. I too have Lyme Disease, it is no joke at all. I recently became about 75% better, enough for me to be able to attend veterinary school. Her post about the doctor taking out the port made the spot where my picc line used to be ache. So many people don't realize how severe Lyme Disease can be and it breaks my heart she JUST went into remission, her life was getting back to normal, and this happens...IMO.

RIP Sarabeth.
Click to expand...

I have Lyme Disease, too. I knew Sarabeth and know the family. She was a courageous, strong and ambitious young lady.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have Lyme Disease, too. I knew Sarabeth and know the family. She was a courageous, strong and ambitious young lady.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

[emoji53] I am so sorry . All of you are in my thoughts! She really sounded like an incredible soul!

I am also sorry that Lyme has touched your life as well. It isn't something I'd wish on anyone. [emoji17]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have Lyme Disease, too. I knew Sarabeth and know the family. She was a courageous, strong and ambitious young lady.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Another Lyme disease victim here.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
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