A twist of fate

Two days after the crash: April 28, 2006

Lisa Van Ryn started a blog to update friends, family and the world about the condition of her sister, Laura.

(Lisa Van Ryn's blog)

Her left leg (femur) and left elbow are broken and have been placed in casts. Her right clavicle bone is broken also and it is in a sling right now. She has some fractured ribs, and an array of cuts and bruises. It is apparent that she feels pain, which is actually a good sign.

The worst of Laura’s injuries was invisible. The force of the crash had slammed her brain around inside her skull, causing serious damage. She was in a coma. There was no telling when, or if, she would ever wake up.

Matt Lauer: You have to think, "We are so fortunate our daughter has survived." But you have to also be thinking at the same time, "What are her chances for long-term survival? What can the doctors do?" Was that a constant fear for all of you?

Don Van Ryn: It wasn't for me right at the time. It was more I’m in the moment here. This is the state she's in. What do we do to help her?

Susie Van Ryn: I’m more emotional than that.

Matt Lauer: Yeah? It was hard for you--

Susie Van Ryn: Kind of this--

Matt Lauer: --to think everything was going to be OK?

Susie Van Ryn: It was hard. Yeah. I’m not a hospital person. The machines, every beep, every non-beep, everything that stopped scared me. Everything that started, you know, was unsettling. I didn't know what everything was for. And yeah, I was fearful.

(Susie Van Ryn prayer book)

I was shaky today, Laurie, wanting so badly for you to wake up ... It's not like you to be so still! Wake up, sweetie --I want to talk to you and see your beautiful face --look into your eyes. I love you, mom.

The family took turns keeping a 24-hour vigil by Laura’s bedside.

Whitney's family was keeping a different kind of vigil.

Matt Lauer: On Saturday, April 29, the day before the funeral, you held a visitation. And, boy, a lot of people came.

Newell Cerak: We got there and the line started. And it just didn't end. It just kept going and going. And it was—I mean people coming up to us saying they were sorry and all that. But what we wanted to hear and what a lot of them did was share moments of how Whitney had touched them. And that just made us feel really, really, really good.

Matt Lauer: By the way, it was also Whitney’s birthday?

Colleen Cerak: Yes, it was.

Newell Cerak: Yes. Exactly.

Matt Lauer: That had to make it doubly hard?

Colleen Cerak: Well, you know, it was. Whitney was huge on birthdays. And so we asked if it would be OK. And they put a TV out there. And we had the tape of Whitney's birthday parties.

Colleen Cerak: And that was just a neat, neat thing. Instead of just sitting there and just, you know, being sad, they could sit there and just celebrate Whitney’s life.

Newell Cerak: It was really good to hear the laughter, too, there. I mean the laughter just made you understand and realize that Whitney’s life, even though it was short, you know, really had an impact.

Matt Lauer: During the visitation, I guess an obvious question, the casket was--

Newell Cerak: Closed.

Matt Lauer: Closed?

Newell Cerak: Yes.

Four days after the crash, April 30, 2006

Matt Lauer: The day after Whitney’s birthday. And you held the funeral.

Newell Cerak: It just didn't seem like it was happening, but it was like an out of body experience almost. It was like we were participating but not really participating. The church holds about 1,100. There were over 1,400 people that showed up. And we were in awe. We were in absolute awe.

(From funeral service)

"You have always been an angel to me, now you just have the wings to prove it." "She may not have been the best player, but she made the others feel they were." "She's already getting her reputation as the funniest girl in heaven."

Colleen Cerak: It was humbling is what it was. Just so many people cared enough for our family we felt so surrounded and loved by so many people.

The Ceraks buried their daughter on Monday, May 1.

Matt Lauer: You had so much on your mind. I can only imagine. And there was a mix-up. You forgot to pick your mom up.

Newell Cerak: In the confusion of all of the things I go, "Where's mom?" (laughs) and all of a sudden I hear Colleen go, "uh-oh." And that's when she goes, "I was supposed to tell you that you had to pick her up."

Matt Lauer: And when you went to apologize to her about not getting her and her missing that burial, she said something to you.

Newell Cerak: It's something that we believe as Christians. I just said, "Mom, I am so sorry." She goes, "Newell, that's OK." I go, "Are you sure?" She goes, "Yeah, because it's not really Whitney anyway."

She meant that Whitney’s soul -- the real Whitney -- was already in heaven. But soon her words would seem prophetic in a very different way.

MORE FROM NEWSMAKERS

Newsmakers Section Front

Secrets Of The Lost Symbol Read an excerpt from 'The Lost Symbol' The Michael Jackson Tapes Michael Jackson: ‘I am scared of my father’ Back to Woodstock Kidnapped Heiress: The Patty Hearst Story On tour with Taylor Swift See behind-the-scenes web videos of Taylor Swift Slideshow: Concert photos of Taylor Swift Kids of 'Slumdog': Where are they now? Newsmakers Section Front   Add Newsmakers headlines to your news reader: