Classmates, faculty mourn loss of

 SPC student

Jacob Tucker, associate editor

 

Annette Smith said she feels like she is still dreaming.

“I expect to see her walking down that hall, and into my class,” said Smith, coordinator of the Associate of Arts in Teaching program at South Plains College.  “I still have to stop and remind myself.”

She has been reflecting for the past two weeks on the loss of one of her students, sophomore Danielle Newman, who passed away Oct. 16 after a brief illness.

“I remember seeing her that Thursday, before she was admitted in the hospital during the weekend,” said Smith.  “When I got the call that she was in the Intensive Care Unit at University Medical Center, I just froze.”

Smith had to break the news to her classmates, who had worked with Newman the entire semester, and for some, even longer.

When Newman’s classmates and teachers found out about her condition, they began the scramble to get blood for their friend.  Traci Sanders, assistant professor of mathematics at SPC, sent a college-wide e-mail to all of the faculty and staff at SPC requesting that they go and donate blood to help the cause.  The students began passing the story by word of mouth to the remaining students on campus. 

Les Long, community relations manager for United Blood Services of Lubbock, recalls the massive amount of blood donated for the cause.

“We received plenty of blood to continue the transfusions,” said Long, “but we were going against the clock.”

The hospital had to stabilize Newman’s condition in order to diagnose what was affecting her, according to Long. 

“We all had hoped that she could get stable and actually get better,” said Long.

According to Long, a conclusive diagnosis on Newman’s condition has yet to be made.  Many believe that it was the lingering effects of a car accident that she was involved in Lubbock 11 years earlier.

“At that time, she received countless units of blood,” said Long, “and her accident was so severe that she was not expected to make a full recovery.  Due to the care of the doctor’s and the blood she received she made a complete recovery.”

Newman’s sudden passing shocked Smith, her colleagues, and Newman’s fellow students.

“It never hit me until I saw her at the funeral,” said Smith.  “When I saw her parents, I knew she was really gone.”

Newman entered the AAT program in 2004.  She aspired to become a teacher in Early Childhood through fourth grade, specializing in English as a Second Language.  Her fellow classmates remember her as quiet, but always happy.

“She sat right across from me in class,” said Chelsea Spitzer, a sophomore AAT major,  “and when I was having a bad day her smile would make it all better.”

The actions that Newman displayed during class made all of her classmates respect her.

“She had a passion for everything that she did,” said Jessica Villarreal, a sophomore AAT major.  “She went the extra mile even for the smallest assignment.”

Jessica Engledow, also a sophomore AAT student, did group work with Newman.  She recalled the project they were working on when Newman became ill.

“Most students would try to take the smallest part of the project,” said Engledow.  “But Danielle took on the toughest and the longest part of the assignment.”

Engledow recalls how nervous Newman was about the project, but she continued to push on to get her part of the assignment done.

“Even though Danielle was super quiet,” Engledow recalls, “she still managed to teach me an important lesson.  That lesson was to get involved with everyone.”

Jesse Anderberg, another classmate, thought Newman was an inspiration to her life and to the lives of other students.

“Danielle taught us how to love everyone,” said Anderberg.  “She would have made the most amazing teacher.”

Sanders had developed a good relationship with Newman through two semesters of class.

“She had her goals, and she strived to accomplish them,” said Sanders.

Services for Newman were held on Oct. 24 at Trinity Church in Lubbock.  Her classmates and teachers cancelled class to attend the funeral for their friend.  When they walked through the church doors, they honored Newman by wearing a lavender purple ribbon, which was her favorite color, attached with a SPC pin.

Smith spoke during the tribute section of the service, and told Newman’s family members and other in attendance of her hard work and devotion to her schoolwork.  Smith also presented Newman’s family with a crystal cross that was bought by her classmates.

The classmates were then honored by getting the opportunity to carry out Newman’s flowers in the funeral procession.

“I’d never seen that before,” said Smith.  “All of her friends and classmates got a chance to participate.”

Smith feels that everyone can learn from this situation.

“We have to learn to appreciate the relationships we’ve got,” said Smith.  “You never think about someone not coming back.”