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Sarah Dallof and Paul Nelson reporting The mother of a West High cheerleader killed in an car accident says she doesn't blame the driver who caused the crash. Stephanie Rendon says she doesn't have all the facts about the accident, so right now all she wants to do is remember her 17-year-old daughter, Alyssa Lopez.
Cup by cup, West High students spelled out the name of Alyssa Lopez, the 17-year-old killed in Tuesday's crash. "She's a beautiful person inside and out," said cheer coach Kim Caputo-Schneider.
Lopez's friend Taura Escandon said, "I just keep waiting for her to call me or something, tell her just to come back, everything's OK."
The memorial brought her mother to tears as she visited the site this afternoon. "I feel her here, and it helps me cope with everything better," Rendon said.
Family and friends watched a video memorial as well. Many of the cheerleaders were wearing green, Lopez's favorite color. It was the cheer squad that changed her life. "She wasn't happy. With cheer she turned her life around. She did a complete 360 and was happy ever since," Rendon said.
Lopez died Tuesday when police say a car filled with Granger High students tried to catch up with the car Lopez was riding in, clipping it and sending it spinning into oncoming traffic. "I don't blame anybody. Accidents happen, and unfortunately it took my daughter," Rendon said.
Police are still investigating. They're waiting for a number of standard reports to come back before determining if charges should be filed.
Lopez's mom is waiting as well. "I don't know what happened and until then, I don't want anyone to say anything bad about my daughter or the other driver," she said.
A longer version of the video memorial will be shown to students next week. It was delayed today by a power outage.
As part of the memorial, students from West High held a moment of silence in Lopez's honor during the state basketball playoff game today. Just before her death, Lopez was cheering at a state basketball tournament.
