Carol's high school yearbook photo. Intense and interested in both horses and cars, Carol rarely fit in with mainstream activities. School was not on her list of priorities. Although extremely bright, she had little patience for structured learning.

The Angeles Crest Highway, Route 2, is a two-lane stretch of gorgeous curves well known by local bikers. On May 3rd, 1987, Carol and Matt had planned to drive the highway accompanied by a couple of friends also on bikes. As they began the ascent, they stopped at a gas station, and Carol recalls asking if she could ride with one of the other more experienced bikers. Matt, after all, had only three months and less than three thousand miles on two wheels under his belt, and there was talk of a bit of dice over the pass. But the other rider decided that if he let Carol ride with him, some unnecessary jealousy might come between him and Matt. Carol climbed on Matt's three-month-old Ninja, and followed the other bikes.

About half way up the mountain, the group caught up with another biker, who was taking his time. The first group passed the slower biker, on both sides at one time. Apparently this annoyed the biker, and as Matt and Carol approached to pass, the biker suddenly bolted to the left, forcing the Ninja into the oncoming lane, which was in the middle of a blind curve. A car was approaching, and Matt laid the bike down, missing the oncoming car. But immediately behind was another car, which and ran over the Ninja, Carol and Matt. Their friends, unaware of what had happened, waited for them at the designated ranger station. When they didn't show up, they went back over the mountain and arrived just as the emergency helicopter was taking off. It was 3:10 pm. " I know because that's the time it was when my watch stopped. It was also the exact time of my birth", said Carol.