Rutland senior 'loved life and life loved her,' friend says at vigil

Heather Harrod had everything to live for.

Friends and family tearfully expressed that to hundreds of classmates who surrounded her pink flower-covered parking spot at Rutland High School on Wednesday night.

The senior had plans to visit Japan next month and resume playing soccer in spring.

She also had just recovered from a torn ACL and stayed after school Tuesday to practice.

“She was so excited yesterday ... that she was finally coming back to the team,” Monique Christian said of her friend.

Harrod was killed in a car crash on her way home Tuesday afternoon. Her silver convertible careened off an embankment as she was driving on to Interstate 475 northbound at Hartley Bridge Road.

“I’m like you, I can’t answer the question as to why this happened,” school principal Kent Sparks said to a somber crowd. “All I can tell you is God loaned us Heather for 17 years, and loaned her to Rutland High School for the past a little over three years.”

Hayley Burnette’s eyes welled with tears as she spoke about parking at school early Wednesday.

She and Herrod, friends since middle school, had reserved the spots together a couple months ago. The two were among the first in line for first-come first-served senior parking.

Last month, they woke up early and painted their parking spots, Harrod’s featuring a golden crown and Burnette’s featuring a sea turtle.

“Every single morning I would sit in my car because she would always be late,” Burnette said. “She would be sitting in her car doing her mascara at like 7:29, and I’d be like, ‘Heather, hurry up!’ This morning I couldn’t do that and it hurt so much.”

James Hurley said Harrod was “the best friend anyone could ask for.”

“She could have made you smile in a heartbeat and she loved life and life loved her,” he said.

Hurley and Harrod had planned to wear matching sweatshirts to school Wednesday.

On the way to school, Hurley said he heard Harrod’s favorite song, “Panda,” on the radio.

“I felt like ... she was singing to me and I was singing to her,” Hurley said. “I hope you’re a sunflower somewhere; you always wanted to be one.”

A viewing for Harrod is set for 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 23 at Lizella Baptist Church. A service will follow and the funeral will take place at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens off Houston Road.

This story was originally published September 20, 2017 at 10:38 PM with the headline "Rutland senior 'loved life and life loved her,' friend says at vigil."