October 17, 2006. I was 16yrs old, walking to school. I only lived three blocks from the school(off Monroe), so it was always a quick walk. Normal nice fall day. I crossed the busy road, accross the street from Bulldog, I’ve reached the high school. A few more steps and my life was about to change forever. I walked those few steps, now I’m directly in front of the school, (where the high school library is now). Looking down as I walk, I hear screeching from tires in front of me.  As a rose my head I see a car coming from the school heading east. The car collides into the back end of another car(headed south on Bloomington street). As I watch in complete disbelief of what I’m witnessing, the back end of the car jumps the curb and that’s when I see a girl go flying about 8ft in the air and land in bushes close to the sidewalk. Before I could even think about it, I had crossed the street and approached the corner. That’s when I noticed more than just one girl. Out of respect for her family, my story ends here. “-Sarah Weibal, 15, of Streator, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. She was one of two pedestrians struck by a vehicle at about 7:50 a.m. The other victim, Alaina Wissen, 16, was taken to St. Mary's Hospital for treatment of injuries. She was later transported to St. Francis Hospital in Peoria.” Telling my story of that day is something I feel I have to do. I had to learn at such an early age the ugly truth of life in the worst way possible. Recently I had to pick my niece up from high school for the very first time. So I parked in bulldogs lot facing the high school, around 255pm. 3pm hits and kids start to exit the school, this is around the same time Northlawn schoolers have reached the high school as well. That’s when I’m hit with this overwhelming sense of PTSD! Cars flying down the street, tires screeching to slow down, cars at a hault in the right lane closest to the school because their letting kids pass, and the left lane unaware of what’s occurring, so continuing, having to screech to a halt because now their inches away from a child! Most of the kids when they leave school had their heads down in their phones not really paying attention. Others chasing each other playing tag. What kids do. Completely unaware of the dangers that changed my life forever when I was 16. I’ve reached out and went to the school with very little success. I plan to eventually bring it up in a Townhall meeting. I just feel reaching out to the public so parents cans inform their children of that road, is the first step. From 3pm-3:10pm the children are crossing, by 315-320pm there’s not a child in sight. So maybe we can hold signs and bring awareness to on coming traffic in the meantime? I honestly don’t know which steps to take, all I know is that road is extremely dangerous and those flashing lights and signs are not enough! WE NEED A LIGHT! So what happened to Sarah, doesn’t happen to anyone else! The future of our community deserves it. And these children are our future.

This is petition for a light on Bloomington and Morrell st, in honor of Sarah Weibel. May no other child or family have to edure what her and her family did.