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Google"Really this just came together this weekend," Martin said. "We were going to give blood anyway and I just figured he, Lyndon Eberhard, Cory's uncle, would get his friends and I'd get my friends together and give blood, then it grew."
The family is hoping that by sponsoring events such as the blood drive the community will remember the two teens and how they died. There is more to it than just that though. Eberhard said that by keeping the memory of the wreck fresh the family is hoping that someone will recall some information and pass that on to authorities so that enhanced charges may apply to the driver of the truck, Gale R. Pelser, 74, of Eldridge, Mo., who faces misdemeanor charges in connection with the tragedy.
"We want to keep it fresh in people's minds," Eberhard said. "Currently the charges are just misdemeanor charges of careless and imprudent driving. We hope that someone may have seen something that could be passed on to the authorities and get the charges upgraded. I feel that Cory and Emily aren't getting a tough enough charge in their case."
Martin said she had talked to Vernon County Prosecutor Lynn Ewing III and understood why Pelser was being charged as he was but she still would like to see Pelser get charged with a felony.
"Lynn Ewing talked to me this morning and I kind of understand why it is this way," Martin said. "I just hope that we can get better charges placed against Pelser."
Melissa LaNear, mother of Emily DeBrine, said she had talked with representatives of the Missouri State Highway Patrol who indicated they were still investigating the crash and still had witnesses to question. She said she hoped more people would come forward and help.
"We just had a hearing postponed today," LaNear said. "The Highway Patrol has been pursuing additional names of witnesses to question. The hearing has not been rescheduled as far as I know. I just feel that as long as there are potential witnesses out there it's worth pursuing."
The families plan to continue to keep the names of the teens in the public's eye and hope that by doing so eventually enough information will come forward to change the charges Pelser faces.
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THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. AND DEFINATELY A WAY TO KEEP THE 2 TEENS SPIRITS "ALIVE" AND IN MEMORIES. I APPLAUD THE FAMILY! KUDOS! <3
I agree that the man is at fault for careless driving but I do not agree with pushing it further like the ederhard's are doing considering their father leanord Garrett killed my daughter in 1969 when he ran a yeild sign on the corner of jefferson and walnut and was only charged $18 and the family thought that it was too much.
I think it's great to keep the kids spirits alive, but at what cost?? The laws are what they are for a reason.....you can't change them.
Keep the kids spirits alive with a positive tone...not for an ulterior motive.
I have no information, nor response for dsspenser; I am uninformed, and sympathize with the loss of a child. To mom40: I hope that you never endure the pain that I feel everyday.
I am the eternally proud Mother of Emily Ann DeBrine. Perhaps you have heard of The Emily Ann DeBrine Foundation?? We are a non-profit organization, established immediately following my daughter's funeral. Our Foundation website address is www.emilyanndebrine.com. We gave out $1000 in scholarships to the NHS graduating class of 2009, donated $500 to the NHS Golf Team youth clinic, and intend to contributed the additional $10,000 raised (in our first seven months of establishment) to Nevada Youth Programs that Emily Ann DeBrine would have felt worthwhile. If you would like to further discuss positive spins on an awful situation with me, after you educate yourself; contact me via the Foundation website link. JUSTICE is my ULTERIOR MOTIVE; and the pursuit of Victim Rights. Who are you to assume, and comment so bluntly, without being informed??
Corey and Emily were less than a quarter of a mile into their final journey on earth together...down one hillcrest and up another, when they encountered Gale Pelser in their lane of traffic atop the hill. It was either take the narrow left shoulder of 54 Highway or take on a semi-truck head on! Corey opted for the shoulder, as did Pelser. Corey's truck was unrecognizable to Corey's Mother, who stood as close as possible to the crime scene, in her neighbor's yard... The cab separated from the frame of Corey's, and launched in the opposite direction that the kids were traveling. The force of the impact separated the engine block and the transmission...Do you truly feel that a Misdemeanor charge of Careless and Imprudent Driving is JUST?! Do you have any information on this crime?? Do you have any ideas what Gale Pelser took?? May you never know...
I have edited this response over and over, and tried to remove facts that need to be presented in court, and omit harshness in my tone. You need to recognize that you are uninformed in this case, and truly have no business stating that anything but justice and peace is our MOTIVE. The love of a Mother is a truly powerful force!! We have heard that Gale Pelser may have passed other vehicles and been driving erratically before his fatal error in judgement that took my baby and Corey. This could potentially alter the charges imposed upon the man guilty of taking two lives. Have you lost a child, as a victim of a Violent Crime??
Gale Pelser forever impacted the lives of so many. He is TRULY responsible. A person can get a Felony charge for writing a bad personal check...but not for taking two young and vibrant lives?? A C&I, MISDEMEANOR?! If you think that this is justice...that I need to let this go, without turning over every rock out there...than you obviously need to change your logon...as no Mother would do any less than I have. May you never suffer as Tonia and I have... together.
Good Luck,
Melissa LaNear
at first i was outraged that you speak so poorly of my late father. but then i was saddend by the fact you spent so many years not knowing the real truth,that is what we are searching for.the law found ower dad LEONARD GARRETT INNOCENT.if the law finds pelser only guilty of a C N I then that is what we will have to live with. but i am going to do my best as Coreys mom to find him justice. and i would think that a blood drive in ower town would give something positive to ower commumity.we helped N R M C collect 39 units of blood that could save 78 peoples lives. THE FAMILY OF LEONARD GARRETT AND COREY MARTIN
at first i was outraged that you speak so poorly of my late father. but then i was saddend by the fact you spent so many years not knowing the real truth,that is what we are searching for.the law found ower dad LEONARD GARRETT INNOCENT.if the law finds pelser only guilty of a C N I then that is what we will have to live with. but i am going to do my best as Coreys mom to find him justice. and i would think that a blood drive in ower town would give something positive to ower commumity.we helped N R M C collect 39 units of blood that could save 78 peoples lives. THE FAMILY OF LEONARD GARRETT AND COREY MARTIN
I'm sure dsspencer and mom40 didn't see the line above the comment box that says "Please be respectful of others..."
It is a shame that these families should have to defend themselves against those who would try to turn a positive event into something negative.
Did you make the effort to donate life-saving blood on Monday, June 29?
Congratulations and thanks are due to the families of Corey and Emily who are able to recognize that they do not have to wallow in self-pity and despair but that they can take the knowledge and experience they have gained from the tragedies in their lives and use it to help those around them.
The fact is, lives were saved Monday, and much of that is due to the caring of the family and friends of Emily and Corey. There is no room for negativity here. We should only rejoice that this community is willing to help it neighbors in need.
frist of all i tried to be respectful. i think the blood drive is a great thing, so don't get me wrong. what i'm so upset about is the fact that the Garrett family up hold thier father in the death of my daughter Tammy Spencer. and as far as him being innocent he was found guilty an charged with the max fine at that time. and as far as not knowing how the girls mother feels i believe i do an have for 40 years. i would loved to have seen Garrett in prison for the rest of his life.
dsspencer
I am a mom who has lost a child and I spent YEARS asking why and fighting...it didn't change the LAW!! That was my only point.....I think the laws are wrong and bad, but can't be changed, so it's wasted energy to fight them. That was my point....
I m sorry I didnt know about any foundation...good for you and your efforts....I will become more informed...sorry for hurt feelings.
I can't believe you think what happened in 1969 has anything to do with today or should even be brought up. Almost everyone involved in this whole thing wasn't even alive or were babies at the time. You shouldn't force your past on these innocent people.
Oh and by the way supernaturally I did contribute blood on June 29th. Again, sorry for any hard feelings my comments created. I did not comment and am not saying justice is being served. There is unfortunately A LOT of times that justice is not just, but that is just part of life (hard part for sure)
I hope you are able to find resolution in this horrible tragedy....however it may be.
this is in response to supernaturally. i am the sister of the toddler that died in 1969. she was my only sister. i have only one question for you. have you ever lost a child? the pain never goes away, all of my life i grew up seeing my mom and dad cry on her birthday and christmas day. the pain never goes away. i sympathize with emily and coreys parents, their pain will be there the rest of their lives, it will ease but never go away. so to think just because my sister was killed by a wreckless driver in 1969 that it shouldn't be mentioned or thought about because it was so long ago isn't going to happen, she is thought about every day. emily and coreys parents will think about them everyday for the rest of their lives. the legal system cheats all of us sometimes. i believe that everything happens for a reason,it just isn't always understandable. my heart cries for these families and i would like to take their pain away just like i would love to take the pain away for my mom and dad. tammys sister
NO I haven't lost a kid and I would never say it doesn't hurt or that you all don't hurt. IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUSHED AT THE EBERHARD FAMILY - THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INCIDENT IN 1969. This news article was about a blood drive and a family that has given to this cause because a tragedy in their lives has made them realize how they can help others. They don't go around making negative comments on the good things people do - they just do good. You all have turned this article into something else and its disgusting.
Supernaturally, i can see you are trying to keep things stirred. saying i,m blaming the family. i am not. i blame one person only for my childs death. an only one.
Did anybody read her first post? Obviously your eating your words now...
In reading this story it starts out to be a story discussing a blood drive, then it goes into keeping teen spirit alive which is great. But if someone would just listen to the rest of this story.....Getting more info to get the man put away for what he did. I can understand wanting to punish him to a greater extent. But if you would just take the time to really understand what ddspencer is trying to get accross....it is the same thing you are wanting. At the time her child was killed she wanted the man who killed her child punished further to. She missess her child just as anyone would miss theirs. The court will be the one to punish or not punish we honestly have no control because there are laws and we don't write them.God Bless everyone who has lost a child, my prayers are with you.
Yes but if you actually knew the facts of the case without commenting first, you would know that nobody is trying to re-write laws. The man was driving like an idiot - this wasn't just a freak accident - and he should be held accountable. It's called vehicular manslaughter and people get charged with it - it's nothing new. Just because someone else didn't get charged with it, doesn't mean it's not deserved in this case. To all of you that haven't been in on this court case and don't know any of the circumstances, your better judgement should be to keep your comments to yourself.