01/05/09 Bend
 
"It's not fair" reads part of a letter written by Michael Mortensen, the father of 16 year old Shalae Mortensen who lost her life in a car accident on Highway 97 Friday morning.  The letter is part of a flower memorial along the highway north of Bend.  Shalae was a junior and cheerleader at Mountain View High School.
 
"It's just a big loss for everyone.  She is just a ray of sunshine and she lived her life very piously and ya know very much for other people," says Mtn. View High cheer coach Lynn Mullen.
 
Friends say they think Shalae was on her way to a memorial for fellow Mountain View Cougar Sarah Mace who died from leukemia on Christmas morning.  In the past year, Mountain View High has lost a total of 5 students.  Hunter McAdoo passed in September, followed by Josh Hall who died from an illness.  Brandon Perryman, a basketball player, passed in November from cystic fibrosis.
 
"Some students are stunned.  I mean they just can't believe that there was another death among their peers and a lot of sadness too from the friends they have lost. And a lot of times for teenagers it's their first encounter with mortality," says counselor Jan Kailey. 
 
A crisis response team met with students on their first day back from winter break, and teachers read a letter from the principal to rally spirits.  Shalae Mortensen, the most recent of the tragedies, was active in the big buddies program where she mentored 5th graders after school.
 
"She was one of these young ladies that she just lit up a room when she came in. She had a terrific smile. She was very gregarious and i'm gonna miss her. We all are," says Mtn. View High principal Katie Legace.
 
The letter written by Shalae's dad ends with:  "You will always be my baby girl. Love you. Miss you. See you soon. "