Caitlyn Pollock, a 16-year-old student athlete from Gwinnett County, died in a car accident on Sunday, sparking an outpouring of sadness from people in Metro Atlanta and much of the rest of Georgia who knew, loved, and admired her.
As she competed in team cheer events across the state, Caitlyn Pollock gained recognition and admirers.
Caitlyn was in the front seat of a car with friends when, according to Gwinnett County Police, the driver lost control and collided while attempting to navigate the curved ramp at Sugarloaf Parkway and Highway 316 in Dacula at around 1:30 on Sunday morning.
Except for Caitlyn, everyone in the car made it through the collision.
Gwinnett County police reported that there were seven occupants in the 1993 Chevrolet K1500 pickup truck. The six passengers were all 16 or 17 years old, according to the authorities.
Kyle McDowell, 21, of Flowery Branch, is the driver; he is currently charged with first-degree vehicular homicide and DUI.
“I say it to my kids all the time, one drink, you don’t get behind that wheel,” said Lori D’Adamio, a close friend of the Pollock family. “They’re strong people. They’re strong in their faith. But, I mean, they’re devastated….Life is too precious, and Caitlyn’s was definitely taken way too soon.”
D’Adamio was addressing on behalf of Caitlyn’s parents as well as the innumerable individuals who Caitlyn had come into contact with while competing for her community cheer teams and Mill Creek High School throughout the state.
“Seven years old, full of spunk, tumbling all through my yard,” D’Adamio said, remembering Caitlyn as a child. “Cheer was her passion, and she grew up to be this beautiful, beautiful young lady that she is. That spunk grew with her. And that’s what made her so vibrant, and she had a contagious smile and laugh.”
According to D’Adamio, Caitlyn just found out where her mother was going on a shopping trip and surprised her by going with her.
D’Adamio added, “She just drove there and left a letter on the car that said, ‘Mom, I love you.'” “Caitlyn was exactly that. And that’s how she dealt with her mom, her family, and her friends. Mom was her role model.”
To assist the family of Caitlyn with funeral costs, D’Adamio has set up an online fundraising campaign.
According to her, Caitlyn’s mother is astonished by the outpouring of love from people who knew Caitlyn but whom she had never met.
“Her mom was telling me that she’s getting texts and calls from people in counties all over the state that knew Caitlyn,” D’Adamio said. “And her mom was like, ‘How did these people know my daughter?’ It’s because that’s how full of life Caitlyn was.”
At the scene of the collision, the motorist reportedly told Gwinnett County Police that he had consumed alcohol.
McDowell was still being treated for crash-related injuries in the hospital as of Monday night, and authorities anticipated that he would soon be taken into custody in Gwinnett County.
Caitlyn’s family started planning the funeral ceremony on Monday, and D’Adamio anticipated that the announcement of the service would come within a day or two.
