Krystal Diane van Kalsbeek

Krystal Diane van Kalsbeek died at age 16.
Janurary 1, 2002 - 75th Ave. & King George Hwy.

A statement from loved ones:

It was December 31, 2001 and Krystal van Kalsbeek had been drinking heavily. Paris & Gille Werner, Krystal's mother and stepfather were called by the Royal Columbian Hospital around 6:00 p.m. Gille went and found his stepdaughter so disfigured that he wasn't sure that it was Krystal. He said that the only way that they identified her was by an operation scar she had on the back of her leg.

She and a male companion had been hit by a car while crossing King George Highway on foot. Bruised and with broken bones, she lay on life support, her eyes cold and lifeless, apparently brain dead. When life support was removed the next day, she was gone quickly. Only a few months earlier Krystal had written her mother a letter saying, " I would never go a day without you."

Paris had this to say to young people like Krystal, " Talk to your parents or somebody. Let someone else know if friends are acting dangerously. You don't have to follow friends blindly. Parents, talk to other parents. Drink responsibly. I hope that you never put your parents through what we've been through." Gille added quietly, "It's been hell."

Written by: Jacqueline Sephton from an interview with Krystal's Parents (Gille and Paris Werner)