On September 9, 2006, Emily and her friend were riding an ATV when the ATV was tipped over, trapping Emily under a body of water.
Emily was in a coma for 34 days, and she passed away on October 12, 2006 six days after her 16th birthday.
Mrs. Sarah Melone, Emily’s mother took this tragic accident and turned it into something positive. Mrs. Melone started her random acts of kindness. The random acts of kindness has helped change several lives, young and old.
Melone has never been angry over this situation, she has only made something positive out of it. Losing someone so dear to your heart is a very hard thing to deal with it, and not an easy process.
“We don't have control over the trials and tragedies that come our way, but we do have control over now we respond to them. What we learn from it and how we use it to help others,” Melone said.
Emily’s Garden was established here at MHS in the honor of Emily. A volunteer that helps Emily's garden that changed the decorations every year is Jamie Kurtz. Jamie volunteered to help with the garden after she had saw the board, and wanted to know if she could help with anything. She is now the one that helps redecorate the garden every year, or every other year.
The random acts of kindness and Emily’s garden are a perfect example of kindness, and helping other. At Indian Creek High School, the school Emily was attending when the accident happened; she was known for her kind words, and the kind things she did for people. She was a person that lit up your day when they sky was gray.
“The message we really want people to grasp from Emily’s accident is your simple acts of kindness can be life changing for someone and Emily is a perfect example of that. Emily made a point to be kind to someone everyday, whether it be an act of kindness or a kind word,” Melone said.
Your acts of kindness can go as far as you let them. Being positive is what makes the world go around. Rest in Heaven Emily, may your kindness live on for forever.
This week at Mooresville high school we are celebrating Emily’s garden with random acts of kindness. If you see someone giving a random act of kindness, you will be able to go ask a teacher for a butterfly and write what they did and the persons name on it. At the end of the week the butterflies will be hung all over Emily’s garden.
