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1) It was two days after her graduation.
2) See Cliff Notes or Read the whole thing
2) See Cliff Notes or Read the whole thing
Kennesaw teen killed 2 days after graduation
Courtney E. Stroud, 17, is remembered for her whole-hearted embrace of life
By YOLANDA RODRIGUEZ
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/27/08
What Courtney Stroud's family and friends remember most about the Kennesaw teenager was her joy in simply living.
The teenager traveled to Mexico to preach about Jesus, took evocative photographs and loved ceramics.
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Kennesaw Mountain High School yearbook
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[/td] [/tr][tr][td]Photo of Courtney Stroud, 17, from her Kennesaw Mountain High School yearbook. She had graduated Saturday from Kennesaw.
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Mike Morris/AJC
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[/td] [/tr][tr][td]A roadside memorial along Ellis Road in Kennesaw, where Courtney Stroud was killed in a one-car wreck.
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Her trip to Mexico with a group from Liberty Church involved "just talking to people," said Jeanette Lang, 53, her grandmother. "That was her favorite thing. She loved talking to people.....We've all been blessed because of her life."
Courtney, 17, died Monday -- just two days after graduating from Kennesaw Mountain High School, when she lost control of her car on Ellis Road.
She was the oldest of five children.
Courtney was trying to pass a friend, Shani Parker, as the two drove in separate cars on the curvy, hilly road.
Amid their sadness, Courtney's family and friends wanted to get two messages out: "Be careful when you are driving and know Jesus," said Maddie Feraco, 15.
Courtney wasn't wearing her seat belt and was partially ejected from her 2003 Nissan Altima. She died at the scene.
On Tuesday, her friends gathered at the spot where Courtney lost her life. They left cards, notes and flowers.
Shani, 17, wore one of Courtney's favorite shirts -- an Angels baseball shirt with the name "Stroud" in block letters across the back. The two were best friends and had spent much of Monday together: They went to a tanning salon, visited a friend to see her newborn baby and a stopped at Sonic just before heading to their Chandler Ridge neighborhood.
Courtney was trying to catch up to Shani on the narrow two-lane road, Shani said.
"Courtney was just playing around. But one wrong decision just cost her her life," Shani said.
At the top of a hill, Shani saw an oncoming car. Shani said she slammed on her brakes, hoping to give her friend enough room to get out of the car's path.
Shani waved at her friend, hoping to get her attention.
But by the time Courtney saw the other car, it was too late. Courtney swerved to avoid hitting the car, Shani said.
"She got through, just barely made it through," Shani said. "But she was going so fast...."
Courtney lost control, spun several times, crashed through a stand of trees and finally came to a stop upside down.
The driver of the other car turned out to be Shani's father, who looked for the teenager beneath the crumpled car.
"I thought she was going to be OK," Shani said. "I thought she was going to get through it. She was such a strong girl. She was a strong spirit....She was a fighter. She put up a good fight. But, you know, it was just too much for her."
Her friends plan to have bracelets made with Courtney's favorite Bible verse engraved on it, Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."
Alright so she was on her way home, trying to pass her friend... Car comes around the corner\hill, she swerves to get out of the way, hits sometrees, ends up flipped... The car she swerved to miss was being driven by her dad. Damn that hurts man..
RIP
