Hero Teacher Honored
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| 10/12/2009 |
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| A celebrated Utah high school band is mourning the loss of one of their instructors. 33-year-old Heather Christensen died trying to save a busload of band members Saturday when their driver passed out behind the wheel. On Sunday students and friends from two schools came together to remember her. One parent described the tightly knit group of students and their families as one large family. They are accustomed to many hours together in rehearsal, in travel, and now in grief. The American Fork High School gymnasium was so packed staff had to bring in extra chairs. The award-winning American Fork marching band was on their way home from a competition when their bus driver suddenly passed out. Christensen grabbed the wheel and tried to gain control of the bus. It rolled and Christensen was the sole fatality. "I saw her stand up and jump for the wheel," recalled student Hayley Lund. "Before I knew it, the bus was off the road and we started bumping, and then we hit a really big bump, and everyone went flying in their seats." Christensen`s sister, Jana Hogenson, says Heather has always been her hero, but now the term takes on new meaning. "I talked to the girl that sat right next to her last night on the bus, and she said had it not been for her, a lot of them would have died," Hogenson said. Early investigation shows the driver had a medical condition which caused the crash. |
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