The University suffered an unfortunate loss during the holiday with the death of one of its most promising freshmen.
Jessica Caroline Aiton of Greenwell Springs, a chemical engineering freshman, died Dec. 18, 2001 in a car accident on French Town Road in Central.
Aiton, an active member of the LSU student body, was in both the Honors College and was a member of the LSU Equestrian Club.
She is the youngest of Steve and Delana Aiton’s five children and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Single’s Ward.
“I have learned many things from my church that have helped me to make the right decisions in my life and firmly stand up for what I believe in,” said Jessica in an essay.
While she attended Central High School, she accomplished many outstanding achievements and was named valedictorian of her 2001 graduating class.
As her time at Central High School came to an end, she was nominated for student of the year. As part of the application process, she wrote an essay explaining her life up until that point. Her parents used this essay as her eulogy.
“I always enjoy a challenge,” Aiton said in her essay.
Jessica had hopes of going to law school and one day becoming a senator.
“It doesn’t surprise me that she wanted to be a senator. She was so dedicated to everything that she did,” said Jennifer Barnett, a psychology freshman and friend of Aiton. “Whether it was making friends or doing schoolwork, she did it to the best of her ability. She was a precious and sweet girl that will be hard to forget.”
Jessica’s untimely death gives Central residents one more reason to want the curvy road with almost no shoulder straightened and widened.
The road, filled with orange markings and curve signs, still is causing many headaches for the drivers in Central.
“Of course we wish that situations like this didn’t happen,” said Fred Raiford, director of Public Works for Baton Rouge. “We are currently removing some of the trees along the curve so we can maximize the amount of sight clearance. We also plan on piping in the ditch so that the road is more stable and the shoulder is softer. We are even entertaining the thoughts of putting in flashing arrows around the curve and lowering the speed limit on French Town Road altogether.”
However, Jessica Aiton preferred to leave her friends and family with a glimpse of her heart’s wishes.
“How can you know from this brief glimpse into my life who I am without knowing the intents of my heart,” Aiton wrote in her essay.