Friday morning, two cars of young women were driving on Interstate 75 toward the Detroit airport to make their flight for spring break.

A 69-year-old woman was driving the wrong way on I-75 for seven miles, and as the first car of women dodged the car, the second car was unable to swerve over, hitting the woman’s car head-on.

Wood County sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn said, “The college girls apparently did nothing wrong. They were just driving northbound, and a woman driving in the opposite direction in the wrong way on the roadway hit them head-on.”

Winifred Lein, 69, died, as well as Rebekkah Blakkolb, 20, Christina Goyett, 19, and Sarah Hammond, 21. Sophomore Kayla Somoles, 19, and freshman Angelica Mormile, 19, survived the crash and are currently hospitalized.

These women were students at Bowling Green State University, and all members of my sorority, Alpha Xi Delta. This weekend has left me heartbroken for my sisters of the Alpha Xi Delta-Beta Mu Chapter.

I speak for the Greek community when I say the thought of losing one of your sorority sisters or fraternity brothers is absolutely devastating; it’s like losing a family member.

Likewise, the feeling of losing a sister from a different chapter of your sorority is greatly painful as well, because despite the fact that I have never met these women, we shared a bond only understood by our fellow sisters.

We lived by the same values, found strength in our tradition and weekly proclaimed our desires, “That with gracious and kindly hearts, we may share both joy and sorrow, and bring into living reality the sisterhood of women.”

These women had their entire lives ahead of them, and one poor choice has resulted in their deaths, forever impacting their families, friends and sorority sisters.

This collective sadness is something felt by all, not just Greeks, as this tragedy could have happened to anyone. I ask that all of you take a minute to remember that life is not a guarantee; it can be taken from you even in the most unintentional of ways.

Take this opportunity to appreciate everything you’ve been blessed with and everything you’ve worked hard for, and stay safe over spring break. I hope the Beta Mu Chapter knows they have the unconditional support of the Alpha Xi Delta-Beta Tau Chapter, and for that matter, the entire Kent State student body.

Elaina Sauber is a sophomore English major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater.