MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A Martin County family is mourning the loss of their beloved daughter after a tragic two-vehicle crash near Stuart earlier this week.
The teen's mother and father spoke to WPTV on Friday.
Emma Albritton, 19, was one of four people killed in the fiery crash Tuesday at the intersection of Federal Highway and 14th Street.
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The teen's parents, Eric and Tanya Albritton, are devastated by the loss of their youngest daughter but doing their best to remember her and all of the happiness she brought into their life.
"It's still setting in, you know, that we won't see her walk through the door or hear her laughter in the hallway with her sister," father Eric Albritton said. "The highway patrol officer pulled down our street, and I just screamed out that it couldn't be."
Emma was in her second year at Indian River State College, studying to be a physical therapist.
"Her light, her love, her passion. She had a light as big as her personality. And if she met you, she would love you. She would try and do anything for you," mother Tanya Albritton said.
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On the day she died, her parents said she had dropped her car off at the shop for maintenance and her boyfriend's friend had come to pick her up, so they could do some studying while they waited for her car.
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"She lived passionately, lived life to the fullest. She crammed a lot of life into those 19 years," Eric Albritton said. "She was the light of our family, and she was the joy of our family."
Eric said he was glad he randomly stopped home for lunch on the Tuesday of the crash.
"I went in the house and had lunch and she left. I had no idea that an hour later she would be dead. But I'm so thankful though that by chance happened to just swing into the driveway and got to see her face that one last time," Eric Albritton said.
But their faith gives them comfort in this difficult time.
"We know that we will see her again with Jesus, and she's dancing on the streets of gold," Tanya Albritton said.
The teen leaves behind her mother, father and sister.
Tanya Albritton said a celebration of life is planned and everyone is asked to wear colors, not black clothing. She said her daughter loved her life in color and that's how it should be celebrated.
Her celebration of life will take place Oct. 29 at 11 a.m. at Liberty Baptist Church, 3660 W. Midway Road, in Fort Pierce.
"Everyone has an Emma story so if you would like to write yours down and bring it there will be a box so we can keep those precious memories," said Tanya, Emma's mother, in a Facebook post.
In the post, Tanya also asks anyone who would like to make a donation in Emma's name, instead of flowers, to donate to one of the following:
- Her church Martin County Baptist has a building fund. You can donate online at: https://www.martincountybaptist.com/
- She cared very much about children in foster care. The Hands and Feet - www.handsandfeetfl.com (support abused and neglected children entering foster care in South Florida)
- Neighbor to Family, Inc - Treasure Coast - www.neighbortofamily.org (foster care that keeps siblings together, serves children and families in crises.
- https://www.4kids.us/4KIDSTreasureCoast (foster agency her associate pastor and his wife use)
- She was passionate about stopping domestic violence. https://safespacefl.org/
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the wreck.