update
I was a little off on the story of Danielle so here's the report...
17-year-old's death stuns family, friends
Liberty student remembered for her strong faith, ability to bring others together
By MATT PHILLIPS, Californian staff writer
e-mail: mphillips@bakersfield.com
Posted: Saturday August 21st, 2004, 9:20 PM
Last Updated: Saturday August 21st, 2004, 10:10 PM
A 17-year-old Liberty High School student died around 10:45 p.m. Friday after her car swerved into the opposite lane on Rosedale Highway and smashed into a truck.
Danielle Gould, who was to start her senior year, was heading home from a friend's home about four miles away when the accident occurred just west of Allen Road. She died at the scene, according to Kern County coroner's officials.
Friends and family gathered at the Gould family home Saturday, describing a girl with an infectious laugh, a promising future, and a deep faith.
"I think she would have been every father's dream as a daughter-in-law," said Steve Morris, a friend of the family.
Her Liberty High School ID card shows a perky student, tongue poking from her mouth.
From the thumb-size headshot on her glossy new business cards, a sharp real estate professional smiles.
"She knew when to be serious and when to be goofy," said Gould's friend Bree Osthimer, 19.
She always had her faith. Pastor Mike Osthimer said it would be an understatement to call her a devout Christian.
She and friends would wake up early on Friday mornings to meet and study the Bible at coffee shops. She kept a small scrap of fabric bearing the names of friends she would pray for.
Each morning, she would scrawl Scripture on her bathroom mirror.
"In everything that she did she just showed her love of Christ and she lived out her faith," said her friend Eric McPherson, 18.
She also worked at a local real estate agency, answering phones, making keys and running other errands.
"My whole office is devastated," said Carl Cole, who hired Gould after he sold her family a home when she was 15.
"I was so impressed with her I said, 'I'll hire you. I think you'll be a great agent,'" Cole said.
She was still a high school girl.
She organized impromptu scavenger hunts. With friends, she roamed her neighborhood searching for stuff on the lists -- a roll of toilet paper, a can of green beans, a chewed piece of gum.
Church camp was a big part of her life. She and friends sang the "Gopher Girls Song," baring their teeth in a silly grin.
She proudly wore purple Peter Pan-style tights to represent her camp team color.
She even helped her team win a belly flop contest. For her winning flop, she managed to keep smiling while smacking into the water.
On a particularly hot, sticky, slow bus ride up the Grapevine to camp, she was the first to start singing.
"You could never feel left out when Danielle was around," said Marni Raue, 15, a friend.
Despite the silliness, she could be quite focused, folding in her wallet an alphabetized list of values -- from ambition and believing to unity and vision.
On a couple of other small green slips of paper she listed the attributes of the type of man she'd like to marry. Among other things, he had to be patient, family oriented, and godly.
And she was wonderful to talk with, friends said.
After a recent going-away party for a friend heading to college, Gould and McPherson wandered out to their cars and started talking. It was around 9:30 p.m. when the conversation started. It was 2:30 a.m. when it ended, McPherson said.
"It was one of the most beautiful conversations ever," he said
17-year-old's death stuns family, friends
Liberty student remembered for her strong faith, ability to bring others together
By MATT PHILLIPS, Californian staff writer
e-mail: mphillips@bakersfield.com
Posted: Saturday August 21st, 2004, 9:20 PM
Last Updated: Saturday August 21st, 2004, 10:10 PM
A 17-year-old Liberty High School student died around 10:45 p.m. Friday after her car swerved into the opposite lane on Rosedale Highway and smashed into a truck.
Danielle Gould, who was to start her senior year, was heading home from a friend's home about four miles away when the accident occurred just west of Allen Road. She died at the scene, according to Kern County coroner's officials.
Friends and family gathered at the Gould family home Saturday, describing a girl with an infectious laugh, a promising future, and a deep faith.
"I think she would have been every father's dream as a daughter-in-law," said Steve Morris, a friend of the family.
Her Liberty High School ID card shows a perky student, tongue poking from her mouth.
From the thumb-size headshot on her glossy new business cards, a sharp real estate professional smiles.
"She knew when to be serious and when to be goofy," said Gould's friend Bree Osthimer, 19.
She always had her faith. Pastor Mike Osthimer said it would be an understatement to call her a devout Christian.
She and friends would wake up early on Friday mornings to meet and study the Bible at coffee shops. She kept a small scrap of fabric bearing the names of friends she would pray for.
Each morning, she would scrawl Scripture on her bathroom mirror.
"In everything that she did she just showed her love of Christ and she lived out her faith," said her friend Eric McPherson, 18.
She also worked at a local real estate agency, answering phones, making keys and running other errands.
"My whole office is devastated," said Carl Cole, who hired Gould after he sold her family a home when she was 15.
"I was so impressed with her I said, 'I'll hire you. I think you'll be a great agent,'" Cole said.
She was still a high school girl.
She organized impromptu scavenger hunts. With friends, she roamed her neighborhood searching for stuff on the lists -- a roll of toilet paper, a can of green beans, a chewed piece of gum.
Church camp was a big part of her life. She and friends sang the "Gopher Girls Song," baring their teeth in a silly grin.
She proudly wore purple Peter Pan-style tights to represent her camp team color.
She even helped her team win a belly flop contest. For her winning flop, she managed to keep smiling while smacking into the water.
On a particularly hot, sticky, slow bus ride up the Grapevine to camp, she was the first to start singing.
"You could never feel left out when Danielle was around," said Marni Raue, 15, a friend.
Despite the silliness, she could be quite focused, folding in her wallet an alphabetized list of values -- from ambition and believing to unity and vision.
On a couple of other small green slips of paper she listed the attributes of the type of man she'd like to marry. Among other things, he had to be patient, family oriented, and godly.
And she was wonderful to talk with, friends said.
After a recent going-away party for a friend heading to college, Gould and McPherson wandered out to their cars and started talking. It was around 9:30 p.m. when the conversation started. It was 2:30 a.m. when it ended, McPherson said.
"It was one of the most beautiful conversations ever," he said