Sara Rose Hennarichs
Contact Cathy Hennarichs (FL)
My name is Cathy Hennarichs and I live in Boca Raton, Florida. My story
begins as a typical Saturday on September 13, 2020. My 13 year old daughter
Sara woke up early that morning, made herself and her little sister breakfast
and was off to a cheerleading event at the local middle school. Sara’s
dad, Duane was away in Wisconsin for the weekend and I spent most of
the day shuttling around my other 2 daughters, Amy (Sara’s older
sister ) and Laura (Sara’s younger sister). Sara got home around
5:00 pm and asked to sleep at her friend Alexa’s house. I said
it was o.k. and drove them over to Alexa’s house as I have done
many times before. Little did I know the events that would take place
this particular evening.
Apparently, right after I dropped the girls off, a 13 year old boy friend
of theirs drove his adult sized ATV from his home, unsupervised, across
a public road and into the neighborhood where Sara was. He allowed Sara
to drive the ATV even though he knew she did not know how to operate the
machine. The road she drove on was a narrow dirt road with trees on the
side of the road. She ended up crashing into one of those trees. Although
I am still not sure of all the events that took place right after the crash,
I know the children called 911 right away and her friend Alexa knew enough
to run down and open the gate of the community so the ambulances could arrive
quickly. I received the dreaded phone call around 7:00 pm that evening from
her friend’s mother telling me to go to the hospital right away. People
tried to console me as I sat in the emergency waiting room for about an
hour and a half not knowing how bad Sara’s injuries were. Hoping and
praying for the best, but deep down knowing it wasn’t good. Finally
the doctor called me into that little room and started telling me how serious
her brain injuries were and the damage to the main artery of her heart and
at that point I just screamed and I didn’t need or want to hear anything
else. Everything from that point on became very surreal. I was able to go
in and see Sara before she died but was in such a state of shock I couldn’t
seem to find the right words. I remember telling her how much I loved her
and not to be afraid, that she is always in my arms. I wanted so much to
just die with her. I couldn’t believe what was happening and my whole
body felt numb. My husband was on his way back from Wisconsin on a private
jet and I couldn’t wait till he arrived because I didn’t know
how to handle this without his strength to support me. I was so lost that
evening and continue to be every minute of every day since. My life has
forever changed and I will never be the same person I was before Sara’s
accident. My greatest challenge in life now is trying not to feel guilty
about living while Sara is not and to try to find some joy in my life for
the sake of the rest of my family. This deep pain will never go away. Please
visit Sara’s website to see more photo’s of my beautiful girl
and to get to know her through the many wonderful things written about her.
I am hoping that by sharing my story I will be able to save another innocent
child’s life by making parents aware of the dangers of these machines
and the responsibility that goes along with owning one. This 13 year old
boy was entrusted with an ATV as if it were just a bicycle and that is why
my daughter is not alive today. Laws should prohibit the use of adult size
ATV’s by children younger than 16 years old without a drivers license.
Additional training and certification in ATV safety should also be required.
I know Sara would want parents and children to learn something from her
tragedy.
Sara Rose Hennarichs, 2003
Memorial website of Sara Hennarichs (1990-2003)
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