Teen survivor of rollover crash meets teacher, students who raised money during her recovery
When Glendale police responded to a rollover crash that crushed a silver sedan last October, officers didn’t know if the 15-year-old girl inside would make it out alive.
Angelique Remey, along with her father, was airlifted to a hospital, where she spent about a month in treatment for two broken femurs, among other injuries.
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She spent another month in rehabilitation before she was allowed to go home — with crutches.
During that time, in a classroom less than 2 miles away from the crash, seventh-grade English students were reading “A Christmas Carol.” Their teacher, Shannon Kracker, challenged her students to bring $5 Jo-Ann fabric and crafts gift cards for Angelique to use during her recovery.
“I thought, ‘What an excellent opportunity to tie the theme from the Christmas Carol, giving for others, giving to people in need,’” said Kracker, a teacher at Rosemont Middle School in La Crescenta. Ultimately, she and her students raised several hundred dollars for Angelique, who attended Crescenta Valley High School at the time.
On Wednesday, Angelique, who has reached “celebrity status” at Rosemont, met the hundreds of student donors, as well as Kracker, at a pizza party organized by the Glendale police union’s Cops for Kids program.
“You got a second chance at life,” Glendale Police Officer Bryan Duncan, who helped organize the event, told Angelique. “We will support you in every endeavor you make because we’re glad that you’re here.”
Kracker, meanwhile, will be honored as Citizen of the Year next week at the annual Glendale Police awards luncheon.
The driver of the van that struck Angelique and her father, who is also in recovery, was treated that afternoon for minor injuries. Police said the crash occurred after the van’s brakes failed.
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Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com
Twitter: @atchek
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