One Year Later: Week Family Copes with Loss

March 23, 1996

By SALLY WINKELS

Marshfield News-Herald

Sunday marls the first anniversary of the death of 11-year-old Deidre week who was killed in a hit and run accident.

Deidre was returning home on her bicycle at about 6 p.m. along County Trunk HH near Vesper, following a final 4-H play practice, when she was struck by a vehicle approximately three-tenths of a mile from her home.

Her father found her in a ditch, then ran to a nearby house to get help. Deidre was flown to St. Joseph’s Hospital but was pronounced dead after efforts to save her life failed.

Deidre was the only daughter of David and Brenda Week. The crime remains unsolved despite the fact that the state Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) stepped in last August to aid in solving the case.

The Weeks met with state Attorney General James Doyle in August.

“We presented a petition of 2,675 signatures and told him (Doyle) what we believed happened to our daughter,” said Brenda Week.

For seven months the DCI has been gathering facts and checking out leads. John Rehrauer is the special agent handling the Week case along with Tom Reichert, a Wood County Investigator.

“People still call the agents or us with leads,” said Brenda. “There are suspects, but we believe there is still important information being withheld.”

Some people have told family they did not come forward earlier because they didn’t want to get involved. Brenda said that attitude makes her very sad.

In November, Deidre’s class at Vesper Elementary School released pink and green balloons in her memory.

The Christmas holiday was very difficult for the Week family as they remembered that Deidre’s last birthday money was used to buy Christmas gifts, and she had her shopping done early.

The bleak days of January and February didn’t help the Weeks cope particularly well, adding to the fact that they hadn’t heard any news about the investigation for several weeks.

In February Deidre’s friends made valentines for the Week family.

Brenda has attended some of the sixth-grade girls’ basketball games because she knows Deidre would have been playing if she were still alive.

They are concerned with the image this case presents in the mind of young people.

“Young people are seeing this case not being solved,” said Brenda.

The Weeks continue to work toward a vow made to their daughter when they buried her – to never give up until the hit and run driver is found.

They will continue to promote awareness by distributing pink ribbons in Deidre’s memory. Brenda is also still working on sending out 700 thank you notes, each written with a personal note.

“On TV you see the police beating the truth out of suspects but in real life the truth never comes out or is extremely slow in coming,” said Brenda. “It gets disheartening. Sometimes we feel that if we were important people, the case would have been solved by now.”

The Weeks continue to cope, with the help of sons Brandon, 14, and Avery Joe 2 ½, along with many family members and friends.

They will not rest until their daughter’s killer is brough to justice.