OVIEDO, Fla. – Hayes Whitman, the brother of 15-year-old Marjie Whitman, is still struggling with the sudden loss of his little sister.
“All I want to do is hear her voice again. The videos don’t do her justice. I want to listen to her sing in the bathroom or shower. I’m never gonna enjoy that again,” he said.
Marjie was one of two teenagers killed last week after their car hit a tree and caught fire in Oviedo, near Aloma Avenue and Aloma Woods Boulevard.
Hayes recalled the moment he realized something was wrong.
“I remember the first thing I did was text Marjie and say, ‘I love you.’ And when I saw the message didn’t deliver, I said, ‘Damn, this is real.’”
The fun-loving high school cheerleader was named after her mother, Marjorie Whitman. Her mom says losing Marjie feels like losing part of herself.
“She was the one that was always making us laugh, and she was funny. She had such a fun personality. We will definitely miss her,” Marjorie said.
The family says Marjie and the other victim, 17-year-old Kayla Ross, were as close as sisters. When asked if they knew where the two girls were going that night, Marjorie responded, “No idea. I have no idea, and I have no report yet.”
Even without answers, they’re grateful the community has shown so much support. A vigil was held for the teens, and flowers were laid at the crash site.
“For me, it’s very important because it shows that she was loved. It shows that even though she’s not here, she continues to make an impact,” said Marjie’s older sister, Janelly Valiente.
Many people have also donated to her GoFundMe, raising money for school supplies and gifts for children in Guatemala — a cause Marjie had planned to support for her 16th birthday this October.
“She was always a giving person, so for her, it was more important than talking about her own party,” Marjorie added.
Now, the family plans to create an annual scholarship for young athletes in Marjie’s honor.
The families will be holding a memorial for both Marjie and Kayla at Horse Power Ranch in Geneva at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30.
The families say the memorial is open to the public and ask attendees to wear either Kayla’s favorite colors (red and black) or Marjie’s favorite colors (blue and pink).
If you would like to support the family of Marjie Whitman, her GoFundMe is here.