Sophie Alexandra Bertrand....her name not called out for High School Graduation, she will never be introduced as a Mrs., nor will she hear a child say "mommy", she had undiscovered talents and potential.  Sophie is not just another statistic, Sophie was a daughter, a granddaughter, an Aunt, a cousin, a niece, a sister, and a loyal friend.  

Sophie will always be 17, while her friends and family continue having birthdays. Sophie was beautiful inside and out.  Her smile was infectious, especially the smirky crooked one.  She never went one day without telling me she loved me.  She expressed her love to all her friends and family.

We traveled Frontage Road her entire life.  It was her gateway to life, friends, hanging at the park, getting a snow cone, and going to school.  It was our time to talk, laugh, and share thoughts, and I can't forget, going to McDonald's.

I can't express how much it disgusted me when she passed away and adults and kids were posting death pictures on the internet.  Sophie was the passenger in her friend's vehicle, a friend who admittingly said she took illegal drugs that morning.

The vehicle she was in went into the other lane and collided with another vehicle causing the vehicle Sophie was a passenger in, to overturn.  She was left upside down for three hours, while onlookers were taking pictures.  

That was not the kind of attention she needed. I, her mom still have days where those images take over my entire day. Sophie would not want these pictures to be the last and only memory some have of her.  She deserves people to see her name and smile and remember their days with her.  We, her family and friends would like to have the name changed because as it stands, the area where she died is like driving over her grave.

If you believe people should obey the law of the road, and believe that a positive memorial in Sophie's name is proper, please sign.

I pray for this respect for my child.  She deserves this., We, the community deserve to smile while driving around that curve thinking of Sophie's life not just her tragic death.