Brianna as a Friend

Brianna as a Friend
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Katie Manning remembers her first day at a new high school. She remembers what it felt like to be the new kid in town. She stepped onto the yellow school bus and uncomfortably walked down the aisle. She felt unfriendly stares from her new classmates as she passed. Toward the back of the bus, she saw a ray of sunshine. 

"You can sit with me," Brianna Maitland, her new friend, said with a smile. She eagerly tapped the vinyl fabric of the seat, signaling Katie to join her. Katie sat down, immediately feeling at ease. "You have such pretty hair," Brianna said, gently touching a strand for herself. 

Kira Trombley remembers fondly a bubbly, beaming stranger approach her on the first day of school.

 "I love your leather jacket," Brianna, her new friend, said earnestly.

 Kira remembers the girl who never forgot her birthday. After months of not keeping in touch, Brianna unexpectedly appeared at her home on her birthday to wish her well and gift her a candle. She remembers Brianna as selfless and generous: "if she had a chocolate bar, she'd give you the whole thing, if you wanted it". 

 Megan Jefferson also remembers the day she met Brianna. Megan was hanging out with Jillian Stout, Brianna's future roommate. The girls approached the window of a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu studio, where Megan observed Brianna kicking some ass. "I want you to meet my friend, Bri," Jillian said.

 "My first thought was to never mess with her," Megan laughed, reminiscing on that day years later. Megan remembers Brianna as someone she could turn to for support. She remembers running into a very recent ex-boyfriend at a party. The wound was fresh. Megan called Brianna, crying, "freaking out". Brianna came to Megan's rescue, pulling up in her Oldsmobile. The two drove off. Brianna had a plan that didn't involve commiserating over silly boys.

 "We're going snowboarding!" Brianna declared to a puzzled Megan. The two went all out, riding down a small hill several times and making snow angels. Megan was effectively distracted from the drama by the wholesome activity. 

 "It was perfect," Megan recalled.

Brianna's Dad Bruce Maitland remembers his daughter's strong sense of justice. Brianna hated seeing people get bullied, and would step up and defend someone being targeted regardless of the consequences. Bruce remembers Brianna as a great kid, "full of life- a joy to be around". He remembers Brianna as someone "who would have made a positive difference in the world, if given a chance".

Most of us who care about Brianna's case have never had the pleasure of knowing her. My heart breaks for her family and friends who have now suffered for 15 years without Brianna- 5,475 days without Brianna. My thoughts are with her loved ones on this very difficult day. Brianna will never be forgotten and the people who love and care for her will never stop seeking justice and resolution for her case. There's just too much that time cannot erase. 

Comments

  1. GregMarch 19, 2019 at 9:02 PM

    That was beautiful .

    ReplyDelete
  2. BobKatMarch 20, 2019 at 6:25 AM

    Brianna certainly did make friends when she began her first year at her new HS. Makes it all the more difficult to understand what might have gone wrong!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Northeast Cold Cases UnsolvedMay 29, 2019 at 5:02 PM

    I've been working on northeast cold cases for school. I'm going for my Masters degree in Criminology. I would be happy to help you. Just shoot me an email.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Northeast Cold Cases UnsolvedMay 29, 2019 at 5:05 PM

    I've been using the murder accountability info website. It seems their may have been a serial killer within a 100 mile radius between Maura Murray and Brianna Maitland. I don't feel that its definite. I'm more inclined to think foul play in Miss Maitland case.

    ReplyDelete
  5. EnglishRosieSeptember 9, 2019 at 7:07 AM

    What a beautiful person, inside and out x

    ReplyDelete

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