A Beautiful Rose

''Sparkling'' girl loved helping others

March 29, 2007 10:13 AM
By Amanda Carlin and Deborah Field

Gone too soon: Emma Hansen will be remembered for her smile and her community work. EMMA Hansen told her family she wanted to make every minute of her life count for other people. She had just begun a phone counselling course with Lifeline Sutherland and had volunteered in a Russian orphanage last year. Her parents Lynne and Mark, of Orange, said their daughter was ''altruistic'' and would always say ''I love you''.They did not have a chance to say goodbye to their eldest child, who was hit and killed by a car in Kogarah on Tuesday.The family has nominated LifeLine Sutherland as their chosen charity for people wishing to show their support. Donations can be made online or by calling 9522 7807 (Wednesday to Friday) or LifeLine Sydney on 9951 5577.Emma moved to Kogarah in 2005 and was in her second year of fashion design at St George College of TAFE.She had finished her half-day at TAFE and was walking back to her car around 11am when she was struck.Her parents were informed of the accident at 12.30pm and boarded a 1.30pm flight from Orange to Sydney.Emma died in St George Hospital, before they could arrive.``She was a very creative girl and would not hear a bad word about anybody,'' Mr Hansen said. ``She would always give you hugs and kisses and tell you she loved you.''Emma was about to launch her own fashion label and had begun millinery.Her mother was looking forward to attending popstar Pink's concert on May 1 with her daughter.Emma went to school with her brothers Simon, 18, and Martin, 17, who is still studying at Kinross Wolaroi School, Orange.Simon, an English teacher in China, flew back to Sydney yesterday afternoon to be with his grieving parents. Mr Hansen had last seen his daughter two weeks ago.TAFE friend Georgia Harwood, 20, said ``Emma's sparkling smile was contagious''.``If you'd seen her walk down the street she would have smiled at you,'' she said. ``If you'd been busking she would have emptied her pockets for you.''Pastor Daesop Yoon from the Mountain Hope Church in Orange said the Hansen family were extremely community-minded and giving. He described Emma as a ``beautiful'' and ``pure'' person.Assistant minister of St Luke's Church, Miranda, Graeme Howells said it had been a pleasure and a great privilege to have Emma in the congregation.He said she had a particular interest in working with children, and helped in the church craciêche twice a week.Kinross Wolaroi assistant principal Rodney Hancock said the school had been devastated by the loss of their former school prefect.The Hansen family thanked St George Hospital doctors and nurses for doing all they could.A funeral led by Pastor Yoon will be held in Orange tomorrow.

- Article taken from The Leader paper

20yr old Emma Hansen was struck by an out-of-control L-plater's car on Tuesday that killed her and seriously injured 11 others, including 2 babies. I didn't know her personally but now I know her...after her death. This horror crash happened in a place I shop around often. As the article above reads, Emma was someone who always wanted to help people and the steps she had taken to achieve that is amazing...in her very short life. Looking at how her life ended in such a shocking way and reading about what her last weeks on Earth were like, I wanted to ask this question from myself and all of you as well:

What were your last 2 weeks like? What did you do, who did you meet, what did you last say to someone you love? Did you kiss and hug enough? Have you patched up? Did you make plans for a getaway? Tell me, what were your last 2 weeks like?

Emma didn't know she was going to die, but her last 2 weeks seems full and peaceful to me. And yes she had many life plans, career plans and also plans to go to a PINK concert with her mum on the 1st of May. Now what were my last 2 weeks like? Alot of tears and alot of hard decisions made. So if I was in Emma's shoes on that fateful Tuesday, I'd have died a heart-broken girl. From today, I wanna make every single day count...every single day positive and happy...gonna kiss my blues away...not gonna make a fuss about things I don't have control of...just gonna be a cheerful presence to whoever I meet....gonna take risks...gonna be there for people. Cos moments on Earth are not forever.

Emma sweetheart I never knew you in life but I now know what a beautiful and rare rose you were to those who were around you. Gone too soon! This song is for your sparkling spirit.

Current Music: The Rose by Bette Midler