And from the Jacksonville, NC Daily News of 30 Dec.
http://www.jdnews.com/SiteProcessor.cfm?...mp;Section=NewsLoss in the Northwoods family
December 30,2004
DIANE MOUSKOURIE
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Three days before Christmas, Jordan Koonce Shepard zoomed down the expert slope at Shoeshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia.
Jordan was an expert skier, and the ski trip was an annual event for the Shepard family, one he looked forward to with anticipation, assistant principal Allene Batchelor at Northwoods Park said Wednesday.
Jordan, an eighth-grader at Northwoods Park Middle School, died early Sunday from injuries he sustained during a skiing accident around 2 p.m. Dec. 22. Friends remembered Jordan during a service Wednesday afternoon at Jacksonville High School.
Another skier, maybe not as skilled or as prepared as Jordan, lost control and slammed into him on the slope, she said. Following the accident Jordan was airlifted to the Charleston (W.Va.) Area Medical Center where he was treated for brain injuries, Batchelor said. He was in and out of consciousness, but by Saturday his condition had deteriorated to the point where the doctors could do no more.
"We had a prayer chain going for him at home," she said. "We knew his time was limited, but we didn't want him to die on Christmas day. He died at 12:15 a.m."
Jordan had been wearing a safety helmet, and he followed all safety precautions, Batchelor said. He had just celebrated his 14th birthday one week earlier on Dec. 16, she said.
"It was just such a tragic accident," she said fighting back tears.
Batchelor has known the Shepards personally and professionally even before their oldest son, Jordan, was born, she said. Kathy Shepard teaches language arts at Northwoods Park and has for at least 16 years. Larry Shepard teaches math at Richlands High School. Jordan has two brothers, Carson, who is a sixth-grader at Northwoods Park, and 4-year-old Peyton.
Jordan was considered a part of the Northwoods Park Middle School family from the beginning, Batchelor said. For such a young person, he had a grasp on life many adults never attain.
His faith in God was rock solid. He was "any teacher's dream." And he loved sports, especially skiing, Batchelor said.
"Jordan was always at school - after school, for staff meetings or teacher workshops," she said. "And he was always offering his assistance."
He was active in nearly every extracurricular activity available. He played trombone in the school's jazz band. He was on the baseball and soccer teams. And he was an officer in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
"Jordan was very much a Christian, and his responses to questions on the application for FCA clearly indicated his strong religious beliefs," Batchelor said. "He was all about sports, a big Carolina fan."
When Jordan was not in class or busy practicing he was helping others, whether they were teachers or peers, Batchelor said.
"He was a great student, every teacher's dream, always smiling and always willing to help," she said.
Even though the Shepards attend church in Beulaville and live in Richlands, a memorial service was held Tuesday afternoon at Jacksonville High School. That was arranged so all who wanted to could attend, Batchelor said.
"Even though they lived in Richlands, we knew a lot of his friends from school would want to be there," she said. "We're expecting some of the kids to ride their bicycles since their parents will be working."
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made in his honor. A Jordan Koonce Shepard Memorial Fund has been set up at RBC Centura and deposits can be made at any branch, she said.
"They haven't established where the money will go yet, but I'm sure it will be worthy," Batchelor said.
Onslow County Schools has organized a Crisis Intervention Team with counselors who will be on campus Monday for teachers and again Tuesday for students as they return to classes.
"It will be the first time they will all be together, and there will be a void because Jordan won't be here," Batchelor said.
Contact Diane Mouskourie at
dmouskourie@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, Ext. 235.
Please, ski in control....and ski defensively.
The Colonel