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Tribute for UIC sprinter, friend killed in wrong-way crash
A touching tribute this evening in DeKalb for two young women killed last week when their car was hit by a wrong-way driver.
DEKALB, Ill. - A touching tribute Saturday evening in DeKalb for two young women killed last week when their car was hit by a wrong-way driver. One of those killed was a star sprinter for the UIC track team.
"Life is so unfair. Sometimes it's hard to understand why someone with so much life, love or purpose was taken so soon," Kayshia Stevenson, a friend of the victim, said.
Dozens of friends, family and classmates of the 21-year-old best friends, who were killed last weekend gathered at DeKalb High School Saturday evening. It was a chance to talk and hug and remember, and release balloons in their memory.
Sariyah Watson was a track athlete at the University of Illinois Chicago and one of her best friends, Heaven Williams, with whom she ran track in high school, were in a car heading home for Mother's Day on May 9 on I-88 near Aurora when they were struck head-on by a wrong-way driver.
All three people involved were killed.
The balloon launch and gathering was organized by Kaysha Stevenson.
"I was a very close friend, Stevenson said. "She had a way of moving mountains."
After the balloon launch, the crowd walked a lap around the DeKalb High School track. Heaven's aunt remembers her spirit and generosity.
Chanel Martin//heaven's aunt: "It's what we are all kind of pulling from, which is the power of love," Chanel Martin said.
Illinois State Police are still investigating what led to the wrong-way crash.