Brooklynn Newville wrote down her bucket list, which included wishes like seeing a moose, jumping off a cliff into a pool, and visiting an ice bar in Alaska.
Tragically, Brooklynn, along with her younger 5-year-old brother Jace, passed away without fulfilling any items on her list. Her parents found the list months after the accident.
Read on to learn more about the touching list this young girl left behind.
In 2017, Linda Irie, 50, was driving with her three grandchildren, Jace, Brooklynn, and their niece Isabella Anthony, when they were rear-ended on the Turner Turnpike in Oklahoma, leading to a fatal collision involving two other vehicles.
As reported by local news, the accident was caused by a 17-year-old driver who was distracted by reading a text message.
The sole survivor was Isabella, while Jace, Brooklynn, and Linda lost their lives at the scene.
Brian Newville, the father, expressed the difficulty of facing their empty home, saying, “We had to move a few times, can’t really walk into the house anymore and see where the kids used to be.”
Shaneé, the mother, shared her emotional journey on Facebook, revealing the pain of losing her loved ones, including her mother, in the tragic accident.
Bucket List
Months later, while going through Brooklynn’s belongings, her parents found a piece of paper that brought some comfort amidst their grief.
It was Brooklynn’s handwritten bucket list, detailing her desires, such as seeing a moose, scuba diving, getting a drone, visiting an ice bar in Alaska, and witnessing the Golden Gate Bridge.
Brian shared her unfulfilled wish to go hunting with him, regretting that she never had the chance.
Although there are no updates on social media about achieving Brooklynn’s dreams, her parents vowed to make them a reality in her memory.
Distracted Driving
In 2018, Noah DeDear faced charges of manslaughter for causing the accident that took the lives of Linda, Jace, and Brooklynn.
DeDear, just days shy of his 18th birthday at the time, confessed to texting while driving but denied reading messages from his relatives.
Expressing frustration over delays in court proceedings, Brian emphasized the family’s longing for closure and justice.
In February 2021, the family updated on social media that jury selection for the trial was commencing.
‘Put it Down’
The grieving parents launched the Put it Down campaign, urging people to refrain from distractions like cell phones while driving.
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