Beth, a native of Brockton, MA, grew up in Abington, MA. and graduated from Abington High School in June 2001. She possessed an endearing personality and kind heart that inspired her family and large circle of friends. She was compassionately other-focused - always looking to the needs of others. As a candy-striper volunteer (now called Junior Volunteer) at the local hospital, she had kind words for everyone, and she was generous with her time. Her smile seemed to go on forever. Leaving handwritten love notes for friends and family was a trademark of hers. She would hide them around the house and watch her parents and sisters find and read them. Some of those precious notes were even found after Beth's death. She was just a joy to be around; her loving spirit inspired us. Compassion was her chosen path.
After graduation from High School, Beth enrolled in Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training at Massasoit Community College. She was well loved at the local fire station where she did her course practical training. As fate would have it, those very same first responders arrived at the scene of her last moments on earth. A tragic one-car accident early in the morning of November 1, 2003, took her life. Just after dropping a friend off at home, Beth was driving home when she received a call on her cell phone. Apparently distracted, she lost control of her vehicle. The caller heard the sound of the crash over the phone. The fire chief on scene said it took 20 minutes to free her from the wreckage that was smashed into a building. When she was extricated, the firefighters immediately knew who she was.
Beth was rushed to Boston Medical Center where she died while undergoing surgery. When the local paper published the events leading up to her death, word spread quickly. The fact that her death involved a cell phone while she was driving contributed to an ongoing political issue in the Massachusetts Legislature regarding cell phone usage in cars. News reporters with TV cameras began arriving at her parent's home. What was already a terrible time for Beth's family and friends was compounded by the unwanted publicity now focused on them. Neighbors stepped in to help shield them during those awful days of terrible grief. The irony of this tragedy was that on the Catholic calendar, Nov. 1, is All Saint's Day. That is how we will always remember her.
[Bio lovingly written by her uncle Gerry Lawton (G47)]
After graduation from High School, Beth enrolled in Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training at Massasoit Community College. She was well loved at the local fire station where she did her course practical training. As fate would have it, those very same first responders arrived at the scene of her last moments on earth. A tragic one-car accident early in the morning of November 1, 2003, took her life. Just after dropping a friend off at home, Beth was driving home when she received a call on her cell phone. Apparently distracted, she lost control of her vehicle. The caller heard the sound of the crash over the phone. The fire chief on scene said it took 20 minutes to free her from the wreckage that was smashed into a building. When she was extricated, the firefighters immediately knew who she was.
Beth was rushed to Boston Medical Center where she died while undergoing surgery. When the local paper published the events leading up to her death, word spread quickly. The fact that her death involved a cell phone while she was driving contributed to an ongoing political issue in the Massachusetts Legislature regarding cell phone usage in cars. News reporters with TV cameras began arriving at her parent's home. What was already a terrible time for Beth's family and friends was compounded by the unwanted publicity now focused on them. Neighbors stepped in to help shield them during those awful days of terrible grief. The irony of this tragedy was that on the Catholic calendar, Nov. 1, is All Saint's Day. That is how we will always remember her.
[Bio lovingly written by her uncle Gerry Lawton (G47)]
Beth, a native of Brockton, MA, grew up in Abington, MA. and graduated from Abington High School in June 2001. She possessed an endearing personality and kind heart that inspired her family and large circle of friends. She was compassionately other-focused - always looking to the needs of others. As a candy-striper volunteer (now called Junior Volunteer) at the local hospital, she had kind words for everyone, and she was generous with her time. Her smile seemed to go on forever. Leaving handwritten love notes for friends and family was a trademark of hers. She would hide them around the house and watch her parents and sisters find and read them. Some of those precious notes were even found after Beth's death. She was just a joy to be around; her loving spirit inspired us. Compassion was her chosen path.
After graduation from High School, Beth enrolled in Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training at Massasoit Community College. She was well loved at the local fire station where she did her course practical training. As fate would have it, those very same first responders arrived at the scene of her last moments on earth. A tragic one-car accident early in the morning of November 1, 2003, took her life. Just after dropping a friend off at home, Beth was driving home when she received a call on her cell phone. Apparently distracted, she lost control of her vehicle. The caller heard the sound of the crash over the phone. The fire chief on scene said it took 20 minutes to free her from the wreckage that was smashed into a building. When she was extricated, the firefighters immediately knew who she was.
Beth was rushed to Boston Medical Center where she died while undergoing surgery. When the local paper published the events leading up to her death, word spread quickly. The fact that her death involved a cell phone while she was driving contributed to an ongoing political issue in the Massachusetts Legislature regarding cell phone usage in cars. News reporters with TV cameras began arriving at her parent's home. What was already a terrible time for Beth's family and friends was compounded by the unwanted publicity now focused on them. Neighbors stepped in to help shield them during those awful days of terrible grief. The irony of this tragedy was that on the Catholic calendar, Nov. 1, is All Saint's Day. That is how we will always remember her.
[Bio lovingly written by her uncle Gerry Lawton (G47)]
After graduation from High School, Beth enrolled in Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) training at Massasoit Community College. She was well loved at the local fire station where she did her course practical training. As fate would have it, those very same first responders arrived at the scene of her last moments on earth. A tragic one-car accident early in the morning of November 1, 2003, took her life. Just after dropping a friend off at home, Beth was driving home when she received a call on her cell phone. Apparently distracted, she lost control of her vehicle. The caller heard the sound of the crash over the phone. The fire chief on scene said it took 20 minutes to free her from the wreckage that was smashed into a building. When she was extricated, the firefighters immediately knew who she was.
Beth was rushed to Boston Medical Center where she died while undergoing surgery. When the local paper published the events leading up to her death, word spread quickly. The fact that her death involved a cell phone while she was driving contributed to an ongoing political issue in the Massachusetts Legislature regarding cell phone usage in cars. News reporters with TV cameras began arriving at her parent's home. What was already a terrible time for Beth's family and friends was compounded by the unwanted publicity now focused on them. Neighbors stepped in to help shield them during those awful days of terrible grief. The irony of this tragedy was that on the Catholic calendar, Nov. 1, is All Saint's Day. That is how we will always remember her.
[Bio lovingly written by her uncle Gerry Lawton (G47)]
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