FORT WORTH — Twelve-year-old Shaquintha Briscoe died last week when she was ejected from a car in a traffic accident along Interstate 35W, just north of downtown Fort Worth.
On Wednesday, her school guidance counselor sent an urgent e-mail appealing for help with funeral arrangements.
Shaquintha always knew what she would grow up to be. "She wanted to be a nurse or a doctor of something," said Shaquilla Briscoe, her sister.
The dream was sparked by their mother's illness. "My mama been sick for a while, and she had to help my mama do stuff when she was little," Shaquilla said.
But the sixth grader died last Thursday when the car she was in rolled on I-35W. Nearly a week later, her family has not yet buried her; they can't afford the funeral.
"We're a tight family,and we wasn't expecting this," said the victim's uncle. "It's obvious we didn't have the insurance."
Teachers and staffers at Dunbar Sixth Grade Center collected more than $700 for Shaquintha's service and burial. The principal bought a suit she can be laid to rest in.
As of Wednesday afternoon, however, the family was still $630 short. "I want to let everybody know, whatever they are doing for this family, we appreciate it," Shaquintha's uncle said.
The funeral home offered the family a payment plan, but the family doesn't know when it would ever get the money to pay it back, so they declined the offer.
And so, on Wednesday, Shaquintha's school guidance counselor wrote to WFAA, asking for help to spread the word.
"She's a human being," said another sister, Shamedra Briscoe. "She needs to be laid to rest the right way."
The price does not include a tombstone, but if there was, Shamedra knows what she would want it to say: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
She found the words by looking for Chapter 5, Verse 3 in the book of Matthew. The numbers represent her birthday month and day. On May 3, Shaquintha would have turned 13 years old.
Update: Since this story was broadcast at 10 p.m. Wednesday, several people have contacted News 8 to say they intend to pay for the balance of Shaquintha's funeral. As a result, it appears at this time that the need no longer exists. A full update will be reported during Thursday's news programs, as well as here at WFAA.com.
E-mail chawes@wfaa.com
