ShawneeDispatch.com

She was a free spirit and an artist; she loved animals and music; she was a good friend and, despite her years, an old soul.

This is the way Haley Vanlerberg's family hopes she is remembered. Haley, 15, died Saturday in a car accident on Interstate 35, but family members say they will always remember her spirit and strong attitude toward life.

Haley's stepfather, Don Chance, said the Shawnee Mission Northwest freshman was very strong-willed, but a good kid. She loved music and enjoyed going to concerts with her older sisters.

Haley loved art, as well -- painting, sketching and drawing cartoon and comic book characters. She designed clothing for her friends and recently had some of her artwork on display at the Nelson Art Gallery.

Chance said Haley also loved caring for animals. She had many different pets through the years, and she was closest to her dog and cat.

With Haley's many interests, Chance said she hadn't quite decided what she wanted to do after high school.

"She hadn't really gotten that far," Chance said. "What she wanted to do changed all the time."

Haley's artistic spirit and love of music was reflected in the way she dressed, and her stepfather said her appearance really showed her independent spirit.

"She was possibly misunderstood by people who didn't know her because she dressed in punk rock clothing," Chance said. "But she didn't care if you didn't like it or not; that was her, that was the way she wanted to be."

Chance said Haley's friends have told the family that they called her "mom," because she was so caring and was such a good listener.

"If you had a problem and you needed to talk about it, you'd go talk to Haley," Chance said.

Cindy Young, Haley's aunt, said though Haley could sometimes be a drama queen, she had an "old soul" and was wise for her years. Young said she was happy she was able to learn more about this side of her niece when Haley came to stay with her recently for a weekend.

"I'm like, oh my gosh, this kid is smarter than me in some ways," Young said.

Chance said that Haley had recently started going out with friends who had just gotten their own cars, and the family had worried that something like this might happen. Now, they are struggling to cope with the loss of such a vibrant young life.

"We love our Haley," family wrote on a cross at the crash site. "We will never forget you."

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the accident occurred at 2:42 p.m. Saturday on I-35 at Johnson Drive. Fellow Northwest student Jessica Redenbaugh, 16, was driving northbound in the left-hand lane when she attempted to exit at Johnson Drive, crossing three lanes of traffic.

But the car was going too fast to stay on the ramp to Johnson Drive, which makes a 180-degree turn to face south. The car left the roadway and flipped, and Haley was ejected. It was not known if she was wearing her seat belt.

Redenbaugh, who was wearing her seat belt, was taken to Overland Park Regional Hospital.

Students at Northwest are facing the loss of a classmate for the second time in the last month. Northwest senior Clarissa Bergman, 18, died Dec. 16 in Lake Lotawana, Mo.

Bill Harrington, Northwest principal, said counselors again are available for students who need help.

"We follow our same procedures, in that we gear up our counseling staff to make sure they are on the ready to help any student who needs to talk about it or any student who has been identified as having a tough time dealing with this," Harrington said.

A visitation for Haley will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee, 10901 Johnson Dr. Services will take place there at 10 a.m. Thursday, with burial in the Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens. Haley's obituary is on Page 6A.

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