Two years ago forever changed our family. We often speak of things in reference of before Meridith died and since Meridith died. Rick went to a baptism on Sat for a family and a year or so ago they had a family member die as well. Terry told Rick that its just a different normal. Which it is. As I look back over the last 2 years I think about the blessings that happened. First when Brett, Luke, and Meridith were in the accident, Brett's first concern was were Meridith was. When he found her, she was not breathing, He being a worthy priesthood holder thought first to give her a blessing. There in the ravine on the freeway he blessed her. Meridith came to and Brett carried her to the top. People in Mexico driving on the toll road stopped and helped and let him use their cell phones to call the US. When he first called me Rachel and I were eating lunch in Irving by the airport( I had been at work, had a break, and had to go back). I know it had to be a difficult call to make. He told me that he and Meridith had been in a accident and they were taking Meridith to the hospital and I needed to come. I told he that we would be there as soon as we could. Rachel was with me and we went outside and I called Rick (he and his brothers were playing golf). Oddly enough Rick had his cell phone and it rang, usually he silences it. He answered it right away. I told him and he and his brothers left right away. I told Rachel that I just wanted to see her alive one more time. She said MOM it'll be ok. I told her I didn't think so. I went back to work and found a supervisor and told him what had happened. I told him that I would stay there, that my family was packing my bag and would bring it to me. I went to work for a few minutes and went back to talk to him again, He gave me the number for the US embassy in Mexico, I called Rick with it.
Meridith was alive when the ambulance got there. Brett held her hand and sung to her while the rushed her to the hospital. I know that other things happened during that ride, things that Brett can not and will not talk about. Meridith died just before they reached the hospital. I know that the next phone call that he made to tell Rick Meridith died had to be the hardest call ever. I called Rick to find out if they had heard form Brett, they told me that they had not but I probably should come home and pack to get ready since the flight was not until about 6pm. I asked Rachel if everything was ok, she said yes, and I made her promise. That was hard for her because she already knew and had to lie to me so that I could make it home ok.
I drove home and called Nora, as we talked I told Nora that I didn't think that I would see Meridith alive again. She said that she would be ok. I said I don't think so. The traffic was the normal traffic there on 820 (for those of you who drive it) Friday afternoon I don't remember 2-3:30 I think. I took me a while to get home. Everyone was worried. I got home and Rick came out to the garage, I knew that Meridith was gone. He never said the words, But I knew. Rachel had called the Bishop's wife. Alison gave Rachel his cell phone number right away, poor Rachel she just lost her sister and had a new baby, but since she is my daughter she started to get things arranged.
Rick called the embassy in Mexico, because Brett had been informed that he was going to be arrested unless he told the police Meridith as driving. The embassy told Rick to tell Brett that he should no longer speak Spanish. Which we thought was odd since Brett speaks it quite well. But if you speak the language then the embassy cannot be there for you through the legal process. Brett had to tell the ambulance drivers that he was instructed to not speak Spanish. The police officer came and took Brett and Luke with him to wait for the Consulate agent to get there. Little did he know he had already been arrested.
Bishop Shuldberg came over and so did our wonderful home teacher Brother Arhets, Rick and I both were given blessings before we left for the airport. Rick's brothers were here and so was my mother. Rick's brother Gary lives in Colorado, he left that evening to drive back home to pick his family up just to back here for Meridith's funeral. Darrell was here what a help he was, he held Haylee was everything was going on which helped Rachel alot.
When we went to the airport, I knew that I couldn't wait in the line and I knew many of the agents working in the terminal, I went to the agent and told them that I needed them to check me in and that our daughter had died and we were leaving to get there. When we got to the gate the supervisor that I had spoken to earlier and the manager on duty who I did not know were there to tell me goodbye and let me know that they cared. When we arrived in Cancun they had a supervisor meet us and get us through customs and immigrations quickly and put us in a taxi to the hotel. Sometime between the airport and hotel I lost my passport. The embassy told us not to go that night to the city in which Brett and Meridith and Luke were because of the fires. So we went to the hotel and the manager had already been notified and he meet us and took us to the room, did some of Brett's laundry for me since we did not know how long we would be there. In the mean time Brett is calling Rachel and they are arresting him and the car rental company is wanting to be paid for the car and we can not be reached. Finally we decide to go to where Brett is and the hotel manager takes us to the bus and taxi station. There is not a bus that takes us directly there so he speaks to the taxis to find on that can take us there. We start driving and it is about 2 hours away. The air is so smoked filled that we could hardly breathe. I finally covered my face with my shirt and went to sleep. In this small town there are 3 different types of police stations. Federal, state and local. We of course don't speak spanish and they don't speak english. We finally got to the right one and after signing the papers, who knows what we agreed to, gave them our thumb prints and the money to have Brett released we were back on our way. The car just barley fit the 4 of us(plus the driver). We stopped back by were the accident happened. I know that this was hard for Brett, we found Luke's notebook and one of Meridith's shoes. We then went straight to the airport and had them put Luke on his flight back to Texas. While here Rachel and Aaron are trying to hold things together. Being out of range with cell phones, having a 6 month old baby and losing a sister Rachel and Aaron held it together quite well. People from the ward came over and as they told them what happened I think it made it easier to tell what happened over and over. One of the hardest ones for Rachel and Aaron to tell was Merina, Meridith's best friend. Rachel took her keys away from her when she first got here, she had thought maybe Meridith came back earlier. They had both been away at school and had not seen one another yet. It was very difficult for Merina.
As everything was happening fast in Mexico and Brett had to talk to everyone to make the arrangements to have Meridith brought back home. He held it together very well. I know that this experience has forever changed him. There are many times that I know he suffers silently and won't tell us. I know that if he could change it he would. I also know that only he could have brought Meridith back. Its a relationship that Brett and Meridith have had before either of them came to earth. Even though while they were in high school together he drove her crazy being the older brother and her the beautiful little sister. We are so blessed to have many people who cared for our family. I know that in Meridith's 19 years she added alot to our family and touched many lives. I know that I feel honored to have been Meridith's mom. She was a unique person. Her smile could light up a room. We all miss her. I'm grateful she took many pictures. She loved her camera. I can look back over her years of picture taking and see all her friends, and how much fun they had. How they loved cars, hanging out, swimming, choir,movies. What a joy they are.
