Loved ones hope young woman’s death in alleged impaired driving crash near Edmonton saves others

Huddled collectively outdoors the Edmonton courthouse, their grief was palpable.

Household and buddies of 21-year-old Maygen Bell-Cirone wore customized shirts that learn “Justice for Maygen” whereas holding do-it-yourself indicators on Wednesday.

“It’s not one thing I ever thought I’d must undergo, to say goodbye to her. It’s one thing I don’t suppose myself or any of us are going to ever recuperate from,” mentioned Lauren Putters, Bell-Cirone’s finest buddy.

Bell-Cirone had been out consuming with buddies. On Sept. 11, her mother Linda Bell texted her daughter’s telephone and obtained a name again immediately.

“Cam phoned me at 7:02 and mentioned, ‘Linda, there’s been a foul accident. That you must come immediately.’”

Bell began driving, not realizing precisely the place she was headed, however she adopted the lights of first responders to the scene, off Freeway 19 and 138 Road, close to the airport.

“Cam mentioned, ‘Linda, I don’t know what occurred,’ and I fell to my knees as a result of I noticed the injury to the automobile,” she recalled.

“The firemen picked me up and walked me over to the ambulance and opened the door. They advised the attendants, ‘Mother’s right here,’ they usually mentioned, ‘We don’t have time. We’ve got to go. Shut the door.’”

READ MORE: Family of teen killed in Edmonton hit and run prepares for trial Monday

So as soon as once more, Bell obtained into her automobile, following the ambulance to the hospital.

She couldn’t see her daughter there, both. Bell-Cirone was being examined by docs and surgeons. She had lower-body accidents.

At one level, Bell mentioned Bell-Cirone went for a CT scan, which revealed the younger lady didn’t have any mind operate.

Solely then did her household get an opportunity to say goodbye.

“She by no means awoke however we had an opportunity to speak to her and maintain her hand, and inform her how a lot we cherished her,’” Bell mentioned.

The information unfold shortly. Bell-Cirone was a passenger within the car that day. Cam, the one that’d referred to as her mother, was the motive force. He was an in depth buddy, who’d even lived with Bell-Cirone’s household for just a few years prior to now.

RCMP mentioned he was going quick and began drifting earlier than hitting a pole.

“Actually, I’ve by no means been so heartbroken,” mentioned Putters.

Most likely one of many worst days of my life,” recalled Sung Saunders, one other one in every of Bell-Cirone’s buddies.

READ MORE: ‘They loved their mommy so much’: Alberta sees increase in fatal collisions involving drugs, alcohol

Investigators charged 22-year-old Cameron Klatt with impaired driving inflicting loss of life.

He was presupposed to enter a plea in court docket Wednesday, however the look was rescheduled.

“It’s actually arduous since you need justice, however alternatively, you recognize the individual. It makes it troublesome,” Bell-Cirone’s mother mentioned.

“He was an enormous a part of our household, and we trusted him with Maygen. We by no means thought he would do her any hurt.”

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Associates, household name for ‘Justice for Maygen’ after deadly collision south of Edmonton

Bell-Cirone is being remembered as an outgoing, carefree younger lady.

“She cherished making bracelets, arts and crafts. She cherished being together with her buddies,” Putters mentioned.

“She was all the time blissful. Didn’t matter in case you have been in a foul temper, she may cheer you up anytime, dancing and singing. She was an incredible large sister,” Bell mentioned.

The crash scene has been cleaned up, however now a memorial is a continuing reminder of a life minimize quick. Dying flowers, melted candles and loving messages are left behind for a younger lady who won’t ever get the prospect to meet her desires.

“That’s in all probability the worst half. She simply wished to be a mother. She wished to assist folks. She was going to go to highschool to be a social employee,” Bell mentioned.

“They have been simply 10 minutes from Maygen’s home when it occurred. She was so near coming house, however she by no means made it by way of that door,” Putters defined.

Whereas nothing can carry Bell-Cirone again, her family members hope her loss of life is a wake-up name to others.

“It’s reckless and simply idiocy to drink and drive, actually. It simply causes hurt,” Saunders mentioned.

“Name an Uber, name your mother, name me. I’ll decide you up. Simply don’t get in that automobile,” Bell mentioned, preventing again tears.

“Consuming and driving and reckless driving is harmful and it will probably affect your life in a method you’ll by no means know. It took our daughter, and we simply miss her on daily basis.”

The Bell-Cirone household has arrange a GoFundMe page to help them with funeral bills and misplaced wages.