 Timeline |
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| 1978 |
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Born in Texas on October 03, 1978. |
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| May 1997 |
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Graduated from Jacksonville High School |
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| May 2002 |
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Gave birth to her son... Mason Carroll |
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| January 2004 |
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Accepted into the Phi Theta Kappa honor society at Tyler Junior College. |
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| December 2004 |
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Graduated from Tyler Junior College with Associate Degree in Nursing |
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| 2005 |
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Taken away on February 12, 2005 at the age of 26. |
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| November 30, 2005 |
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Mom and Dana attended a ceremony in Rusk at the courthouse and hung an angel on the Xmas tree in your memory. The tree was dedicated to victims of violent crimes. Below you will find the poem that was given to us at the ceremony.
My Angel In a Tree
I thought I would never see
My angel in a tree
The unexpected happened
Why did it happen to me?
My loved one taken away
Oh, what a dreadful day
Confusion reigned, anger and pain
What could anyone say?
The days, weeks and months that follow
My life, my heart and soul left hollow
Anger, depression, a great sense of loss
In all of these I did wallow.
That I’ve been robbed is surely forgone
Justice cannot bring back my loved one
Nothing done or nothing said can fill the void
The damage has irrevocably been done.
But hope, faith and love does prevail
Against all of these, I did rail
But remembering the good and happy times
I must try not to wail.
My memories and love are blessed to me
These cannot be taken away, you see
So every year at Christmas time
I’ll celebrate with my special “Angel in a Tree”.
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| December 2005 |
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Our first christmas without our beloved Jennifer.
This year was Bittersweet!!! Mason got all the toys he could ever have asked for "because he needed new toys" (according to him anyway).
Christmas has always been a time of family, fun, laughter, and togetherness for us. No matter what each of us had on our agenda, we always found each other at Christmas!! This year was gutwrenching and heart aching!!! I know Christmas will Never be the same, but we will make it the best for Mason!!!
Jenn, I miss your silliness, your optimisim, and your true Christmas spirit!!! I know in my heart you were with us and I know you continue to look over us, just know WE MISS YOU and WE LOVE YOU!!!!!! It is just NOT the same!!!!!!!!!! |
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| February 2006 |
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Our first snow ski trip without you there was very difficult... The one year anniversary was harder than I imagined. Spending time on the slopes, in the condo, and around everyone was fun but it was still very different and tugged at our heart strings terrible... Dad got Mason ski boots and skis on Sunday and played him on the hill in front of the lodge. It was so funny to watch him... He caught on to his balance pretty quick but of course he copied you, too. Your first trip on the ski slope you "lost control" and made a jump that you did not anticipate doing, well, Mason took a little time to realize that he could not just lean back without falling... of course, PawPaw did not let him fall... he caught him evertime... He loved the snow and you could see in his eyes his amazement of the amount of snow around him.
On Monday, dad continued to play with Mason on his skis, DJ had his skis on and he held Mason on his skis and took him slowly on the small hill in front of the lodge... He smiled and hollared for Nana, PawPaw and me to watch him... He had such energy!!!! Just like you!!!
I videotaped him and took pictures. It was just not right for you not to be the one teaching him and showing him the spendor of snow skiing...
We all missed you so much and we stuck together as much as we could... shoot, the guys even hung out with us quite a bit the first part of the week. It was nice.. It made the time different yet the heartache was still present.
Jennifer before we left Mom and I interviewed with KLTV 7 and the interview aired before we left... we also placed a memorial to the one year anniversary... Many people wrote letters in your honor... It was a whole page in the newspaper... including the front page.
Jenn, mom and I are researching everything we can and we will not quit until Justice is done and laws are changed in Texas to help others.
We love you and know that you will guide us through. You are on our minds daily and in our hearts every moment!!!!!
Love you.
Dana Jo |
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| February 2006- Memorial Ad placed in Jville Paper |
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In Loving Memory of
Jennifer Dee Hester
October 3, 1978-February 12, 2005
~Sunday, Feb. 12th marks the one-year anniversary of the tragic
accident that took the life of our Jennifer. We think of her every
day and night. Her life here ended, but ours continues on, the pain
continues on. We still don’t have any answers of why.
~Jennifer was much more than just a headline, Jennifer was a
precious daughter, a loving sister, a caring friend. Jennifer was a
loving and devoted mother to her little boy.
~ Jennifer graduated college December 17, 2004 with an Associate
Degree in Nursing. In January, Jennifer went to work in the
Critical Heart Care Unit at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Tx.
She loved to help others.
Jennifer also had a special love for music. She had a beautiful voice and loved to sing.
On February 12, 2005 God gave her wings. Jennifer was a special gift to our life.
We treasure every memory. Every moment of her life is forever etched in our hearts.
We were truly blessed to have shared our lives with such an angel. We love her still.
~To share with our angel, visit the memorial site we have created in her memory~
http://jenniferdhester.memory-of.com/About.aspx
Jennifer’s family |
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| March 2006 |
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Mason's 4th birthday... of course, falls on Mother's day this year. He is growing so fast; I am sure you are watching him but man is he tall and stalky now.
He is so full of energy and theatrics... just as you, his mommy!!
He asks about you all the time and cries for you still. Though I don't wish for him to hurt or for him to be depressed but I do hope and wish everyday that he will remember you and cherish you everyday as the rest of us.
I know he has his own memories, and there are days that I am so angry because he will only have the ones from birth to almost 3 years old, but then I am thankful that he has those.
The day was beautiful, and I know you were with us, but there was still that tug in everyone's heart to go with the tear in everyone's eyes.
Jenn, I have noticed that many have started to shy away from talking about you in fear of "upsetting the family". Please give them the strength to find comfort in talking and cherishing you as each of us do. Guide them to find a way to understand that it helps us to think about you, talk about and even have our moments of tears and pain.
As I am sure you know, Mason got everything he could have ever wanted for his birthday. He is not rotten in the least bit, ha, ha...
He is one of the most lovable 4 year olds I know. He loves to give kisses and hugs. He will "steal all my kissess" along with Papa's and Nana's... he loves for Nana to give him fish kisses and eskimo kisses.
I know you hug, kiss him and are near him every second of the day.
I love you Jenn, and miss you more than words can express.
Dana
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| May 2006 |
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DJ's graduation. Our baby brother graduated from high school. Can not believe it.
It was a time of happiness along with a time of hurt.
I know everyone of us that sat there thru the ceremony were overjoyed that DJ was about to walk to stage to obtain his diploma and at the same time thinking that someone was missing from our side.
Jenn, this is how everything feels now. There are times in our life that we are happy but it is not the same as before. Now every event has a moment or even two moments or the whole time, that we all have that heart tugging feeling and that sadness from the hole in our heart. The void is you not being there.
Yes, I know you are with us in spirit and you are with us each moment. You are definitely our angel; but there are days that I just wish I could pick up the phone and hear your voice. I wish I could hug you, touch you, or smell your scent. (You were always trying some new perfume).
Anyway, it was very different to go onto the field and not be able to take pics of all 3 of us together for our last graduation. Not only was DJ the last of us 3 to graduate, but he is the last in our generation on MOM's side. We did not realize that until the night of the graduation. The baby duck finally did it!!! he waddled across the stage, grabbed his diploma, and finished an entire generation of graduates for the family.
What a milestone!!
I luv you and miss you.
Dana Jo |
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| July 2006 |
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Mom, dad, DJ, Haley, me, Mason and Janita took off for a trip to Orlando.
We started planning this trip as a trip for Mason for the summer, added DJ and Haley's graduation as a reason for celebration and then it turned into a family affair which was great.
Bo, June, Kayla alll flew into Orlando and met us.
David, Pat and Angie followed us from Live Oak to Orlando.
Of course, our trip started on a thursday nite, midnite. We all loaded into one suburban with all our luggage. Yes, all 7 of us. We left Texas, bound for the beach in Florida. We arrived at the beach around noon on Friday, unloaded and off we went to play on the beach, except for dad of course, he said he needed a nap. I think this was a ploy for the rest of the week.
Mason loved the beach, it took him a minute to get used to the waves rushing up on him, and we tried to get him to understand not to lay down in them because they would carry him off. I tried to get him to let me take him out in the deeper water so it would not be so rough, but not him. He was doing just fine. But, of course, Haley had not even gotten in the water cause she was scared of the "sharks" and such!!
After our playing at the beach we went to the pool at the hotel. It was georgous. It had a huge waterfall, Mason loved to swim to Nana.
After the pool, we went in to shower, and get ready to go eat. We then rented the mopeds and rode up and down the strip. Mason rode with Papa in a golf cart that was fixed up as a funny car. he had a blast. That night Mason and Haley both chased and caught sand crabs on the beach. They put them in the sand pail and brought them to show me and Papa, as were trying to sleep.
Mom said Haley had more fun that mason. ha, ha...
Sat morning we loaded back up in the surburban and went to meet David, Pat and Angie for our travel to Orlando.
We finally arrived at the house we rented. It was 6 bed, 5 bath with our own pool and hot tub!!! It was great!!
Mason turned into a water decoration for the pool. If we were at home he was swimming.
Monday we took him to Disney world. He loved it. the only thing he said after we left was he wanted to hug Mickey Mouse. It rained on us so we spent 8.00 a piece for ponchos (actually uncle Bo bought them for us). and since it was raining, the characters did not come out much. He loved the parade.
We then took him to Animal Kingdom (another Disney park on Wed) which he loved, too. At this park, Nana made sure he hugged Mickey, goofey, Donald, stitch, Ant character and many others. He got his picture with many of them and they even signed his mickey mouse hat. I think he liked the animal kingdom better than disney. Which it did not rain at animal kingdom until we were about to leave. The parade at animal kingdom was great, too.
Thursday, some of us hung around the house while some went to the beach. Friday some of us went to universal studios while some went to the beach while the lazy ones stayed around the house again!!
Of course, dad stayed up all hours of the night the whole time, this was why he needed the nap at the beach!!
On sat, we left for Live Oak again. We stayed at Angie's and dad cooked ribs and brisket on the grill. Delicious.
We left out Sunday to return home. Boy was it cramped on the way back!! and longer drive, it felt like!!
anyway, We took Mason to the beach, Disney parks, he swam, he played, and much much more. The whole time I kept remembering you telling me one time that you wanted to take Mason to Disney when he got older. I hate that you did not get to take him, but we honored your wishes!!
It was a great family trip, we all missed you greatly!! I know you were with us in our heart and watched over us, but as I have said so many times before, it is not the same!! I dont want to lose you from my heart or from watching over us, there are just times that I wish so much that you could have one more moment with us, ONE MORE DAY!!!!!!
I love you, sis!!!
I miss you deeply!!
Dana Jo |
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