GRANDVILLE, Mich.—Krysta Howell and her mother Angel always had an understanding, that if the 15 year-old needed a ride home, just to call; but a parent’s worst nightmare came true back in May when the teen hopped in a car with someone who had been drinking.
“Never in a million years would you think your best friend would be gone after you seen her the day before.” Krysta’s friend Priscilla Torres said.
Monday, at Resurrection Life Church in Grandville, the same place where Krysta was very active, was the place where her mother was holding the first fundraiser for a non-profit in her daughter’s memory,K.R.Y.S.T.A. Kares Awareness.
“She wants them to be home safe where they belong. She made the mistake of getting into the car with a drunk driver and we want to stop that.” Angel said.
Angel interrupted the spaghetti dinner, reading a message that she said Krysta recently brought her around 2 a.m.
“She woke me up in the middle of the night and she wanted her message to come out and its directed at her friends because she knows there are things going on that shouldn’t be going on and we’re gonna try and correct that in the community.” Angel explained.
Angel’s hope is to find ways for teens to have other types of fun, that don’t involve going to parties where alcohol is available.
“Hopefully, like, kids can understand what it means to have someone in their lives that they love so much and not lose them to something like drinking and driving.” Krysta’s best friend Priscilla Torres added.
Angel is still working on getting her full non-profit status, but is dedicating all of her time to saving other families from going through this same tragedy.
Takunda Mavima, the 17 year-old driver, is serving 30 months to 15 years for the crash that also resulted in the death of classmate Timothy See.
Angel has hopes that Mavima will join her when he is released, to help spread the word about her awareness campaign. You can learn more on the groups Facebook page.
