Saturday, May 25, 2013


Balloon release held for 2-year-old struck, killed by car

Print
Font Size:
Default font size
Larger font size

Related YouTube Video

Related Stories

Posted: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 2:00 am
ADAMSTOWN — As a sea of balloons drifted away from a county baseball field on Tuesday, Amy Olsson and her husband, Sten, wept for their daughter, Frehiwot "Marra" Olsson.
The 2-year-old died Saturday at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she was taken after being struck by a car at Heritage Farm Park in Walkersville.
Devastated by her death, the community has rallied around the family. Hundreds of people gathered Tuesday for a memorial service outside Carroll Manor Elementary School.
The service included an emotional balloon release.
"Go ahead and send them up to heaven for her, because we all know that's where she is," Amy said softly.
She had become tearful during the service as Kevin Heister expressed his sympathy. His wife, Kathleen, has been identified as the driver whose vehicle hit Marra on Saturday. Overcome with tears, he offered his condolences to the family.
"To Marra, sorry I never got to meet you, but you will always be in my thoughts and prayers," Kevin Heister said. His wife, Kathleen, did not attend the service, but the families have met privately in an effort to begin the healing process, Kevin Heister said.
Kathleen Heister was turning left toward the park exit when she heard a noise as the toddler ran into the passenger side of her SUV and fell to the ground. She stopped immediately when she realized she had struck the child, police said.
"This is family," Perry Perret said. "The Olssons are our family, the Heisters are our family."
Perret is vice president of the the Carroll Manor Recreation Council. The organization hosted Tuesday's memorial service, where parents and young athletes paid tribute to Marra. Green, red and yellow balloons were released, the colors of the Ethiopian flag, to honor Marra's roots. The couple adopted Marra in January 2011, but she didn't arrive in Frederick until January 2012, Sten Olsson has said.
"In a short life, she left a great legacy," said Randy Cole, president of the Carroll Manor Recreation Council.
Cole helped to organize the memorial service. The Olsson family has been involved with the council's lacrosse program, making them a part of "the Carroll Manor family," Perret said Tuesday.
"You guys are carrying us through this, otherwise I don't know how we could do this," Sten Olsson said at Tuesday's service.
Prayers of peace, strength and comfort continued throughout the brief service, which included a moment of silence. Green, yellow and red streamers flew in the wind along with an American flag flown by the Carroll Manor Fire Co.
The fire company's ladder truck doubled as a flagpole as Sten Olsson thanked rescue workers for doing "everything they could" after his daughter was struck on Saturday.
He also thanked the community for participating in the Tuesday service. Homemade Ethiopian flags, small signs and a sea of colors transformed the baseball field into a oasis of support.
"I have to tell you this is the ministry of presence," Cole said. "This scene right here says it all."
The family will receive friends today from 1 to 3 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Stauffer Funeral Home, 1621 Opossumtown Pike.
A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at Mountain View Community Church, 8330 Fingerboard Road. Lunch at the Urbana Volunteer Fire Co. will follow.
Private burial will be at Resthaven Memorial Gardens after lunch. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Patty Pollatos Fund Inc.

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/crime_and_justice/police/article_8e90e916-c894-5763-8f1f-148786b38958.html

Toddler struck by car dies

Print

Posted: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 2:00 am | Updated: 10:53 am, Tue May 21, 2013.
A Frederick toddler struck by a car at a Walkersville park over the weekend has died, according to Maryland State Police.Frehiwot Olsson, 2, died Saturday at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she was taken after being struck at Heritage Farm Park earlier in the day.
Born in Ethiopia, Frehiwot was also known by her adoptive family as Marra.
"She's loved by so many, and she touched so many lives," her mother, Amy Olsson, said during a telephone interview Monday night. "Adoption is such a beautiful, redemptive thing. We are finding so much comfort in her story alone and knowing that we had her for these months that we did, and to give her a family, we feel so blessed. That's what is carrying us through."
The girl's father, Sten, said Frehiwot had a difficult start to her life.
She was abandoned by her birth mother in Ethiopia, he said. They adopted her in July 2011, but she didn't arrive in Frederick until January 2012, Sten said.
"It was just a very long and arduous process," Sten said. "She really changed us a lot. All the time we got to spend with her in the last year and a half was just very special time. She lit up our whole lives."
The family is adopting another girl from Ethiopia, he said.
Frehiwot knew her alphabet and how to count to 10 in Spanish, Sten said. She also liked to joke around.
"She was just a very caring little girl, and loving, and playful," he said.
Police said the girl had just arrived at the park when she got out of the car through a rear passenger door and ran before her father could secure her.
"It was just a horrific perfect storm," Amy said.
She said their daughter was excited to see her brothers play lacrosse and that's why she took off running.
A Honda Pilot driven by Kathleen L. Heister was turning left toward the park exit when she heard a noise as the child ran into the passenger side of her SUV and fell to the ground. She stopped immediately when she realized she had struck the child, police said.
The Carroll Manor Recreation Council will hold a short memorial service for Frehiwot at 5:55 p.m. today before the scheduled baseball games at the Carroll Manor Elementary School fields, according to Perry Perret, council vice president. Those interested in attending are asked to be at the field at about 5:30.
Part of the ceremony will involve releasing balloons in the colors of the Ethiopian flag, Perret said.
Perret said the Olsson family has long been involved with the council through the lacrosse program.
Recent nationwide statistics show that 2-year-olds are the most likely of all children under 10 to be killed in crashes where they were not riding in a vehicle, which include those where the child was either walking or on a bicycle.
In 2011, the most recent year for which figures were available, 158 children under 10 died as a result of such crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of those, 32 were 2-year-olds, 12 more than the next highest age group, 3-year-olds.
In 2010, 38 of the 224 children under 10 killed were 2-year-olds, also the largest group among those fatalities. Two children under 10 died from such crashes in Maryland in both 2010 and 2011, neither of whom was 2 years old.
The family will be receiving friends at Stauffer Funeral Home Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. The funeral home is located at 1621 Opossumtown Pike.
A memorial service will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Mountain View Community Church, located at 8330 Fingerboard Road. Lunch at the Urbana Volunteer Fire Co. will follow.
A private burial will follow lunch at Resthaven Memorial Gardens.
Follow Brian Englar and Pete McCarthy on Twitter: @brianenglar, @FNP_Pete.


Wednesday, May 15, 2013

It was a joyous day on Monday, May 6th to FINALLY meet Miheret! We were dropped off at the Transition House and there she was! She was a tiny bit bashful at first, but then she ran straight to us and wrapped herself around us so tight. We all cried and laughed and cried some more! She is an incredible child. Smart, kind, loving, tender, physically coordinated and did I mention beautiful?!!
Our trip was an emotional one and we have so much more to share. But I am recovering from an awful virus and just can't sit at the computer any longer. Love to you all. Amy