Crash Victim Remembered

   Family and friends of a woman killed in a car accident north of Fort Wayne earlier this week will make their final farewells to her Friday. 

   Desiare Martin, 21, died Tuesday after the van she was riding in crashed on Tonkel Road. Her friends and co-workers are struggling to deal with the loss.

   Desiare had spina bifida and was in a wheelchair. She attended a day program with Anthony Wayne Services. Joseph Blazier, program coordinator at AWS Industrial Services, worked with Desiare and says she energized everyone with her personality.

   “She was infectious.  She's one of those people that you get to know quickly,” said Blazier. “Everybody liked being around her. She was kind of the life of the party.”

   But Desiare’s life was tragically cut short. On Tuesday, the van she was riding in crashed into another car on Tonkel Road. Martin was killed along with the driver of the other car, Trevor Bussen, 18.

   “The next morning when I came in and I was informed that it was Desiare, it was, you know, a shock,” said Blazier.

   A shock for Blazier and for Desiare’s co-workers.

   “A lot of them didn't even know the words probably to say,” said Blazier.

   Friends and family will lay Desiare to rest on Friday. Blazier says it won't be the same without her, but that her memory will help them cope with her loss.

   “She's with God and I'm sure that for the first time in a lifetime she's just running and jumping probably in a huge field of flowers, and just having the time of life,” said Blazier. “We'll just have to remember those good times, you know, to get us through.”

   The funeral will take place Friday at Avalon Missionary Church in Fort Wayne.