Vigil held to honor friend

Kelly Pickerel

Junior psychology major D’onna Stubblefield looks to a friend during the vigil held for April Kenniebrew, who was killed by a car last Sunday. SAM TWAREK | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: Jason Hall

Friends and family gathered near Rosie’s last night for a vigil in remembrance of April Kenniebrew.

Kenniebrew, 21, died April 22 in a car accident on Interstate 480 in Macedonia.

“Rosie’s was her favorite place on the weekends,” said Preston Mitchum, senior political science major, of the vigil’s location. “She’d always be here at 4 a.m., eating and laughing.”

More than 60 people attended the program. Some of Kenniebrew’s friends wore her favorite color, pink, in her honor.

“I felt like Kent State wouldn’t have done anything for her,” said Lena Dowdell, senior musical theater major, of why Kenniebrew’s friends set up the vigil. “The Virginia Tech incident was horrible, but this is our family. We wanted to do something for her.”

D’onna Stubblefield, junior psychology major, also helped organize the vigil. She said she met Kenniebrew through a friend.

“April had such a friendly personality, though – I’d have met her eventually anyway,” she said.

“She touched a lot of people,” said Latasha Sipp, senior integrated health studies major.

“A lot of people couldn’t reach the funeral in Cleveland,” Mitchum said. “This is like a hometown funeral for her.”

The program featured a poem and messages from friends. A song that Keniebrew sang for her father was also played. At the end, 21 pink balloons were released outside.

Kenniebrew’s mother Peggy said she was “thankful to have a daughter like April,” and described her as a quiet girl who grew into a bubbly, talkative young woman.

“God gave her a special gift,” she said, “and that was to love. I know we all know where April is now.”

Contact news correspondent Kelly Pickerel at [email protected].