Tanya's Story

We had moved to Oregon just twelve weeks before Tanya's accident. I sure hated Oregon for the longest time. I felt that IF we had not moved here maybe she would still be with us. Tanya was an honor roll student from Somerset California. With the move Tanya left behind so many close friends . I feel really bad about that. She was very popular in her small school. We lived in the country where she had her beloved sheltie collie, Heidi. She loved that dog so much. She had to give this beautiful dog away as we were going to live above the art gallery as soon as the people moved out of the upstairs. I feel so guilty about that.

Tanya made such an impressions on young and old alike. Tanya started her freshman year in Oregon. After her old elementary school found out about her death, one of the then seventh grader's suggested to a teacher that everyone that had something to say about Tanya write it on a 3x12 piece of paper then staple them all together in rings and send them to her family. Wow, that meant soooooo much to me. I am currently having these transferred to cloth and having a quilt made out of them. I also took all of Tanya's cloths and pictures of her and had two quilts made. This way when I pass my two living children will each have one.

I had no clue as to how many very nice things she had done for kids. Tanya would get on to anyone that teased or in anyway caused another child to feel bad. She would spend her lunch break helping someone with homework while sharing her lunch with them. Lea who was three years younger than Tanya had a sister that was in most of Tanya's classes. This older sister was mean to Lea. Tanya would often have Lea spend the weekend with us. We had a small lake close by our house and Tanya would spend hours there with Lea. She would help Lea with her chores so that she could spend the weekend with us. Lea was so sad when we moved. If anyone was hurt physically or just sad Tanya would do all she could for them. Tanya was always a very loving and giving person. In 1997 medium George Anderson said that Tanya is working with animals on the other side now. Medium Patrick Matthew told me in February of 2000 that Tanya was working with animals and children. He told me that Tanya wanted me to write a book about her communications because she was working with children. Her "job" was to help them communicate with their parents. In the early part of this year, 2001 medium Linda Hullinger told me that Tanya is busy working with young children that have crossed over. Tanya was always such a loving person, always thinking of the other person. Tanya loved both animals and children so very much. She would at times even baby-sit for free. Tanya loved babies and small children so much. It does not surprise me that she is working with them now.

Tanya's best friend Kim had lived just down the lane from her. Tanya had told Kim several times through the years 'I'm going to be my mom's, Gary's (Her beloved step dad), Alethea's (Sister), Kevin (Brother), and your guardian angel. Kim told me this not long after the accident. Did she somehow on some level know? Once on the phone after we moved here Tanya told Kim she was going to die in Oregon. Tanya once said the same thing to her sister Alethea. Alethea said she told her "Yeah right, I'm the one that takes chances, your a goodie two shoes." Alethea we worried about, she had a lead foot always driving to fast. Alethea had went over an embankment one night, totaling her car. She walked away with only a couple of bruises. Medium George Anderson said "It is as if your daughter knew that she would not live to be an old woman. Because......" If you would like to know everything that came through that reading just click on George Anderson. I wrote it word for word. The night of the accident I was looking for Charlie's phone number and came across a letter that Kim wrote Tanya right before we moved. You can read this letter at the bottom of this page. It show how deep Kim's feelings for Tanya are.

I also had found a reminder Tanya had written to herself about Kim's birthday & birthstone. I put this in my jewelry box. One day close to Kim's birthday I was talking to her on the phone and went to get the note and read it to her. I opened the jewelry box and right on TOP of the note was a fake pearl bracelet that I KNEW she was buried with it on her left arm. Tanya's aunt Tina had made it for her and it was very special to Tanya. I said "Oh my God" Kim said what's the matter? I said do you remember what jewelry Tanya had on at the service? Kim said yes she had on the diamond & ruby pinkie ring that she always wanted of yours, three sterling silver rings, a pearl bracelets, some kind of earrings plus one of the earrings that Tanya had made for me, a necklaces and an angel pin. I asked Kim if she was sure about the bracelet, and she yes. I then called Tanya's aunt Tina who had made the bracelet but she did not remember any of the jewelry, just that she had on jewelry. Tina said she was just in awe over how many thing kids had put in the casket with Tanya, like the white kitten with blue ayes that Kim placed in there. I then called my sister in Hawaii and she remembered the bracelet. Tanya "confirmed" that she did in fact give me back the bracelet through my meeting with Linda Hullinger. Tanya just kept showing Linda the bracelet. You can read about this on my communication page. This did scare me a little as this was only my second communication with Tanya. At that time I had friends and family trying to get me to get counseling for thinking crazy thoughts . But I knew deep down that Tanya was trying to communicate with me, I refused to believe that I was going crazy. Tanya is just so good to me. I know that she wanted me to know that she is all right and as strong in heaven as she was here on earth. But god I sure wish she was still here with me. Tanya also came through "Very Clearly" through Linda that she was okay and that it was her time and that I could "Not" have prevented her accident. That moving here did not cause it.

We first bought property around the Coquille area of Oregon. When we had received our finial paper work on the property we noticed that it had some big power lines not far from where the house would have been built. We had always come in from the other direction, so did not see these power lines. Knowing that this could have caused harm to babies born to Tanya we immediately put the property back on the market. We then looked at a house on the ten mile lake area, it had moorings (places to dock boats) and gas pumps on it. Many of the properties on the lake can only be gotten to by boat. The house was very nice and the rent from the docks would pay the entire payment. But the road was long and very winding, With Tanya and Kevin wanting to drive in the next few years we thought we should pass that deal up. We then decided to move to Grants Pass and open an art gallery. The Realtor had assured us that the schools were very good and the area was great for raising a family with no gang problems. We opened the gallery just 29 days before Tanya's accident.

Tanya had joined a group for youth at church called "Campus after Dark". She had met a young man there that she liked named Jason. Jason spoke highly of Tanya at her funeral services. Jason belonged to "The Boys Small Group" and Tanya the one for girls. The two groups would also get together. Tanya really wanted to go to Mexico that following summer with the group. They were going to do some construction work, working 8 to 10 hours a day for free. Tanya had met some really nice kids there. She had also met a very nice girl, Jennifer at school. They had become very good friends. Jennifer later wrote some nice things about Tanya for the school year book. Tanya later became Jennifer's "Spiritual Maid of Honor" at her wedding. You can read where she came through George Anderson and told me this was coming up in the summer. Jennifer also share with me how a couple of times there would be a kid that had no lunch money and Tanya "insisted that they take her lunch as she was not hungry. Jennifer shared her lunch with Tanya. Jennifer said that that was just the way Tanya was. She was friendly with everyone.

Tanya had meet a couple of people that were not nice to her here. One was a boy named Mike. Tanya had went to his house with a girl friend who's boy friend lived there along with Mike's parents. The four of them had a beer. Mike tired to kiss Tanya and she told him No. He then said "If you want to be like that I'll spread it all over school that you had sex with me" Tanya came home in tears. She was so upset because being new to Grants Pass she was afraid that the kids would believe this jerk. Tanya was a freshman and had just started school here. Mike had lived here most of his life. Charlie, a boy that Tanya had just met thought she was so sweet and that Mike was a jerk. When Charlie heard the rumor he beat the heck out of Mike for starting these lies. "Knowing" this lead to me letting Tanya go that evening.

Tanya had talked a little about Charlie. She mentioned that she wanted to get him to go to "Campus after Dark" with her. She said that his mom had "left" him with his grandparents. She said that she thought that the grandparents were "strange" Boy was she right "I later found out just how strange" She only knew Charlie for a couple of weeks, but Tanya was always trying to help.

The morning of November 29th 1993 began like many others. It was raining and we were running late. We were living in a rental across town from the gallery. Tanya asked me to fix the back of her hair. I'm now so thankful for that. I remember touching her long soft hair. She was such a beautiful young woman. I drove her to school. She told me that she missed her old school because she knew everyone. She complained about "how stupid" one of the girls here was. This girl had started off being friendly to Tanya and had even spent the night once with us and Tanya once at her house. This girl liked a boy that had told her he thought Tanya was so beautiful. This made her so mad that she quit speaking to Tanya even though Tanya told her she had NO interest in him. Tanya said that it really hurt her feelings. By this time we were at the school we both said "I love you." After  work Gary & I stopped at the store then went home to make dinner. Tanya told us that she was getting an A+ in French. She then said a few things in French and tried to have a French accent. How I wish I would have taped her talking. It was so neat. I will remember it forever. Just like I will remember rubbing her back the night she told us about the jerk Mike. We sat around the table for awhile listening to Tanya say things in French. We then started making taco's Tanya was chopping onions for me and made the comment "I should be doing the tomatoes because I don't even like onions." It is strange how I remember everything said that day.

About 7:45 came "that" knock on the door. It was Charlie and a boy he introduced as Jamie. Charlie asked if Tanya could go with them to Taco Bell and be back in one hour. Tanya wanted to go. Oh how I wish I would have said no. But I thought about how this boy tried to save her reputation & had beat up the jerk Mike. I said the words I would live to regret "Okay but remember you have school tomorrow" Tanya smiled and ran into her room to grab a jacket. They all walked out so fast. Gary walked into the room and said the what would haunt me for years "Hon, I do not think you should have said yes. I would have said no" I remember saying something about how Charlie had helped her with her "problem" with Mike the jerk. About an hour later Tanya calls. She said "Mom we never made it to Taco Bell we first ran into Jamie's brother Cory & Trinity, then we stopped by & picked up a boy named Chris. She asked if she could have pizza with them. I told her that I thought she should come home. Gary wanted to talk to her. So I gave him the phone. He also told her he thought that she should come home. He asked Tanya if she wanted a ride. She said no that Charlie would bring her right home.

Tanya had called from Charlie's grandparents house. The car Charlie was driving had four different brand of tires with four different amounts of tread , the gear shift stick was missing and it ran poorly. After spinning circles in the gravel of their driveway car it stalled. With watching this kind of irresponsible behavior The grandmother jump started the car knowing six kids were going to be packed in a Chevy Chevette with four brand of tires, one with very little tread, no gear shift stick and who know what else wrong with it. It was said at Charlie's funeral that this grandmother had what she called a premonition that Charlie was going to die "that day" At 3:00 am she woke Charlie up and said to him "I'm going to anoint you now. She rubbed oil on his forehead, hands and feet. She told Charlie "YOU ARE GOING TO DIE TODAY" Why would she say that to this young man? With having this premonition and knowing six kids were in the car She "JUMP STARTED THE CAR" Had she not Tanya would have called back for the ride Gary offered her. A few days after Charlie's funeral I called and asked her if she really felt that he was going to die. She said (with not a trace of sadness in her voice) "THAT'S WHY I ANOINTED HIM" I then asked her "WHY DID YOU JUMP STARTED THE CAR?" She simply said "BECAUSE HE ASKED ME TO. HE WAS ANOINTED" What was Charlie thinking when he grandmother woke him up at 3 am to tell him he was "GOING TO DIE TODAY!" How could anyone say that to a child? How did that play on his mind that day? What went through his mind all that day? Was his grandmothers telling him "Your going to die today" the reason Charlie was so careless that night??

It was about 9:30 when Tanya called. Her time of death was stated at 9:49. My mom called just a few minutes after Tanya. At one point while talking with her I had a nauseous feeling. It only lasted a few minutes so I thought nothing of it. I think now that maybe Tanya's spirit was in the room. Maybe I felt her somehow. By about 10:15 I was starting to get mad at her for being late. Tanya was usually very good about doing what we asked her to. I was thinking "I hope she's not going to let peer pressure make her go to pizza with them." I would give anything for that to be what happened that night. After a few more minutes I started going through Tanya's room looking for Charlie's phone number. I found a "letter" Tanya had written to God. You can read the letter by clicking on "Letter to God" I finally found Charlie's number it was around 11:00. I called and the "grandfather answered" I apologized for calling so late but that Tanya my 15 year old daughter had not come home and she had been with Charlie. I asked if Charlie had come home yet. He said simply "no" I said "Charlie had best bring her home soon or he is in Big Trouble" This grandfather had already been contacted and KNEW THAT FOUR KIDS HAD DIED. But...... He simply said to me "That's no big deal Charlie has been in trouble his whole life" I hung up the phone forgetting to get his address.

I then called the hospital and asked if a Tanya Rhodes had been in the emergency room. They checked and said no. I asked if anyone not knowing who they were been there. She laughed and said no. I asked if there was any accident victims tonight. Again she said no I called a second time around 1 AM only to talk to the same person and get the same answers. I later discovered that a few minutes after I hung up the second time that the lady I was talking "remembered" that Cory an accident victim was in surgery. She also remembered that "four kids died in that accident" and that the Identity of" a young female was unknown" How can that just slip your mind.

To my knowledge at this time there were no serious accidents that night and Tanya was out with 18 year old Charlie. At midnight I call the grandparents house. The grandfather had been told by the police that they were unable to identify one young female. He knew this BEFORE my first call. Again the grandfather answered. I was really ticked at both Charlie & Tanya at this time. I asked "Have you seen Charlie or my daughter yet?" he simply said "no" I was hot I said "Charlie is in a lot of trouble He is 18 years old. Tanya is only 15. She is a minor." He just said again "No big deal he's always in trouble" Mad I hug up on him not getting his address. I hit re-dial. He had taken the phone off the hook. I called the phone company four times that night to get them to make his phone beep. He did not put it back on the hook all night.

At 7:30 am I tried yet again to put a call through. It rang and Charlie's cousin Mark answered. I ask him if he knew where Tanya & Charlie were he say "no" I ask him if he had seen them last night. He said "no" I then told him that when he did see Charlie to tell him for me that he was in"Serious Trouble" At this Mark says. "I don't know whether to tell you now or later" I say if you know where they are you had better tell me NOW.

Mark said Just "TANYA IS DEAD" I JUST SCREAMED "LIAR LIAR LIAR " Mark did not say I'm sorry or I don't know how to say this, nothing Just those three horrible words. Gary took the phone from me. I do not know what was said between them.

Hearing me scream Tanya's brother Kevin comes running into the bedroom. He said "Did Tanya come home last night?" I said that there was an accident & I did not know if she was okay. I told him to get dressed we had to go to her.

Gary called the police and was told that yes there was an accident last night. That one girl died and one was in surgery. Both girls died a boy was in surgery. Gary was told that they wanted us to go to Hull & Hull Funeral Home first. I did NOT want to do that. My Sweet Tanya Had To Be In Surgery! She needed her mom. Somehow we went to Hull & Hull. Gary went with someone to a back room. Kevin & I just stood hugging. It was taking to long. Gary was just suppose to say "That's not my Daughter" and get me to the hospital to be with our daughter. Tanya needed her mom at the hospital now! Where was Gary? . I tried to pull away from Kevin. I said I have to go get Gary. Kevin was only 14 at the time but he put his arms around me so I could not pull away. I keep trying to pull away. Kevin held me so tight. He said no mom I can Not let you go back there.

Then Gary came back. I saw the look on his face. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO IT CAN'T BE MY DAUGHTER. I WANT TANYA BACK!

Tanya Comforted me this Morning

I had been the only one in the house for the last couple of hours. The house was silent, no music or television on. I was talking to Tanya while cleaning the house. I promised her that I would continue to write Tanya's Story, that I would finish it. I told Tanya that it was like reliving that time by writing it down and that it was so hard to do. I told her how much I love her and miss her.

As I was getting ready to blow dry my hair the most beautiful music came on. At first I though that it was strange music to be playing so loud in a car. Such beautiful music. We often hear loud booming music from a car stopped at a red light right outside the bathroom window. But this music was beautiful making me feel peaceful.

Then I realized if was in every room upstairs. I went downstairs into the gallery no music. I went back upstairs and it was still playing. We have a cable music that plays through the TV. Neither TV's were on. I called my little sister to ask her if she could hear any music. She said yes, why? I told her that I was alone in the house & had been cleaning and had just talking a shower & was just getting ready to blow dry my hair and the music came out of no where. I again checked both TVs, nothing on. I walked back into the bedroom & noticed it was louder in there. I then looked at the CD player and it was on. We had not turned that on in over a year since we had gotten the cable music channel. There was nothing even close to it. I had not touched it this morning.

This was Tanya's loving way to say that she was with me as I write this. A tremendous feeling of love and peace came over me. A great heavy weight was lifted off. Tanya was and is a very loving, caring, giving, incredible spirit. She has come to me a number of times. You can read these experiences on Tanya's "After Death Communications (ADCs) pages.

Now I will finish "Tanya's Story"

When Gary walked back into the waiting area he just looked soooo bad. His eye's were so swollen. I just knew Tanya was gone. My precious Tanya. Kevin just said oh my sister and sobbed. The three of us just hung on to each other and sobbed. It was so incredibly hard to get in the car without Tanya. To leave her there. I wanted to go and hold her but no one would let me.

Once back at the house we had to make those" horrible" phone calls. I first called my other daughter who was living in California with her best friend Michelle. Alethea was at work so I told Michelle. Michelle went to her work and told Alethea. I remember thinking poor Alethea's heart was going to break and we won't be there to hold her. I should be there to hold her. I need to comfort by child.

I then called and broke my mom's heart. Mom called some of the family for me. That was a relief. Then I called my sister Tina. Tina lovingly offered to call Tanya's friends from California. Now that was a big relief. These kids loved Tanya so much. I knew so many hearts would break. Alethea called me back. Oh how I wish she were here right now. She had to get to her grandparents house & fly up here with them. I can not remember why she did not drive up with her best friend Michelle. Michelle even got here before Alethea & my parents. After calling everyone we just sat and cried & cried.

I talked to Chris, one of the two boys that survived the accident. I asked him how he was doing. He said that he was not hurt in the accident because when the car started going out of control he quickly buckled himself up. I later found out that Tanya was sharing the seat with Chris. She had to "Move Over" so he could buckle "Himself Up" Why did they Not Buckle Themselves Up Together!!!!!! This car had bucket seats in the front!

Chris first said "Charlie is a idiot driver" Chris went on to tell me that Charlie turned to look at the kids in the back seat and said "TONIGHT IS AS GOOD A NIGHT AS ANY TO DIE" He then put his foot all the way down on the gas. He also told me that he had been talking about taking his own life in the weeks prior. This devastated me. I felt that my beautiful daughter had been MURDERED! From December of 93 to April of 96 I believed that Charlie MURDERED my daughter. Tanya told me through medium George Anderson that it really was an accident. You can read the entire reading word for word by clicking on George Anderson. For 28 months I truly believed my beautiful daughter was murdered. Tanya was just trying to help Charlie and he murdered her is what went through my mind night and day. In the police report Chris stated that he did not "know" the young female sitting next to him. He did not know her name or where she lived. He stated that they were taking the girl home but he did not know were that was. He knew that she called her parents to ask to go to pizza with the rest of us. Her parents said no and that they would come and get her, but the girl told them that she had a ride. He also stated to the officer that Charlie is an idiot driver and was going 60-70 miles an hour as he took the curve.

I then called Cory. He was still in a lot of pain. Cory lost his brother Jamie to the accident. Cory was also seriously injured. I asked Cory what happened. Cory said "I don't know what he was thinking but.. Charlie looked at me in the back seat and said "TONIGHT IS AS GOOD A NIGHT AS ANY TO DIE" then he floor boarded it. The words that boys said that Charlie said were exactly the same word for word. I was truly in shock! How could this be. Tanya was good to everyone, she wanted to help Charlie. Cory also told me that he remembered Tanya scream "Oh My God" as she was moving (just a little) SO THAT CHRIS COULD FASTEN HIS BUCKLE . Why did they not "BUCKLE TOGETHER"!!!! In the interview from the police report Cory made these statements. " Hobbs (Charlie) was driving recklessly, spinning brodys in the gravel driveway of his grandparents house. At one point Charlie caused the car to slide sideways around a corner. Cory said that he knew the tires were bad and the pavement was wet so he put on his seat belt. That he remembers entering a curve, Chris throwing on his seat belt, going into a spin. Then he remembers that he "woke up" and saw that they been in an accident. He did not remember the actual impact. Cory also said that he remembers Charlie talking about committing suicide a week earlier, but no method was mentioned. This drove me crazy, if he wanted to commit suicide why?????? take other kids with him?

At Tanya's funeral there were kids standing in the aisles and in the back. It was over whelming to see the out poor of love felt by the kids for Tanya with her only being in Grants Pass for a mere twelve weeks. Her best friend from California, Kim placed a white kitten with blue eyes beside Tanya. Many kids placed notes, cards and other small gifts beside Tanya. Kevin, Tanya's brother gave Tanya something that they often argued over using for the day. With only being in Grants Pass such a short time Tanya touched many lives. In the Grants Pass local news paper Tanya's writing instructor was quoted as saying "She was always happy, joyous, everyday. It was always "Hi Mr. Moodie" every single day you don't get that from everyone. She enjoyed writing, She had found her niche. She sat right in front of my class. Tanya would always be the first to offer someone help. He said "It did really affect me dearly Tanya's death." In the same paper Jennifer said "Tanya was her best friend. We did stupid kid things. (She fingered a flannel shirt that she said Tanya had borrowed earlier on Monday. She even washed & ironed it, even thought she hated to iron."

Also in this news paper "She was really sweet. She was really caring and thoughtful" Pori said. I do not know who this is. I'm just reading the paper printed December 1, 1993. I do not remember reading this at the time. But then many things are a blur from that time.