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Candlelight vigil held for teen killed in crash

Posted at 5:35 PM, Feb 21, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-22 08:23:10-05

Family and friends on Sunday night gathered to remember a life cut far too short, holding a candlelight vigil to mourn the loss of 16-year-old Gabrielle Heiderick.

Heiderick was killed in a car crash early Saturday morning.

RELATED: 16-year-old girl killed in wreck

The vigil was held at the crash site on Glades Road. More than a hundred people came out to send their condolences.

"To see everybody give their support and their hearts and love and gather here to celebrate a life," says family friend Andrea Norwood.

Throughout the day, memorials went up and prayers were said. Gabriella's stepmother Flavia and her cousin Kathleen said Gabby was a leader at Olympic Heights High School in Boca Raton, saying she wanted to go into theatre and attend Florida State University.

"She was very involved with her friends and she was always trying to find a way to fix everyone's problems, and I guess that's why we're so connected to her," says Flavia Heiderick.

"I'm going to miss her laugh and her yelling at me and calling me (telling me to) stick up for yourself," says Kathleen Heiderick.

The family set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for Gabriella's funeral. The community has responded by raising more than $22,000.

Deputies said Heiderick was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. There was no evidence drugs or alcohol were involved.

Speed does appear to be a factor.