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THANK YOU FOR VISITING DANIELLE MARIE. PLEASE, TAKE YOUR TIME AND LIGHT A CANDLE OR LEAVE A CONDOLANCE OR TRIBUTE TO OUR BEAUTIFUL ANGEL. HER FAMILY IS FOREVER GRATEFUL.
This memorial website was created in the memory of our forever loved one, Danielle Marie Plourde who was born in Hartford, Connecticut on January 04, 1995 and was taken from her earthly home on February 20, 2006 at the age of 11.
The Song playing in the background was especially written for Danielle Marie. It was written and recorded by Dan Sweetman. Dan is a songwriter and performer from Soughington, CT.
We are SO VERY GRATEFUL that Danielle Marie will be remembered with this sad, yet beautiful song.
Thank you Dan
My dearest Friends,
The Cove Center for Grieving Children has been part of our lives since the death of Danielle Marie. My family and I have been attending a support program The Cove offers since Danielle Marie died and it has really helped us get through some tough times. This wonderful program, support and compassion were not only shown to our family, but to every family who enters and has suffered the death of a close family member. When a mother, father, brother, sister, grandparents or another significant member of their family dies, children may have a very difficult time understanding or expressing the trauma of their grief. Just think, The death of any family member is extremely difficult on ADULTS, imagine how difficult it is on a young child, “tween”, teenager or even a young adult!
The Cove helps hundreds of children and families across the state of Connecticut and I would really appreciate your donation In Honor Of/In Memory Of Danielle Marie.
No amount is too small and your kind generosity will help the Cove continue it’s incredible support services.
Thank you so much!
Please click on this link...
http://www.firstgiving.com/johnplourde?ref=facebook&type=app
To find out more abot The Cove, Center for Greiving Children...
http://www.covect.org/
Our Dearest Daughter, Danielle Marie,
Four years ago today, you turned the tender age of eleven,
Since your death, you have celebrated each one in heaven.
Your mom and I were so excited when you became a “tween”,
Not once, did we EVER think we would not watch you turn fifteen.
It is so painful, not having you here four years later to celebrate your life,
The tears in our eyes, the pain in our heart only add to our grief and strife.
So as we remember what should be your fifteenth birthday today on earth,
We will forever be grateful for the eleven years we loved you since your birth.
Rest in heavenly peace Danielle Marie.
Another Day
By: John Plourde 2009
I wake each morning to face another day,
The tears on my pillow have now dried.
Each morning is just another painful way,
Of remembering you and the day you died.
The mirror shows a face that looks so old,
My eyes are soar and red from the tears I cried.
There are times when the pain of your death feels so cold,
I cannot escape this terrible grief, no matter where I hide.
My beautiful daughter, I miss you more than words can say,
I cannot get that horrible day out of my mind, although I have tried.
The phone call, the terrible news and visions are always in the way.
Grief shows no mercy and takes me on a terrible never-ending ride.
My mask protects and helps me through each challenge I face,
I promise you this; my endless love for you will never fade away.
Tonight, as I rest my head on my pillow, I pray you are in a peaceful place,
I say a prayer and feel thankful that when I wake, I can remember you another day.
Daughter, sister, niece, grand daughter and friend
Always loving, Always Loved
Never forgotten
In our hearts for all eternity
Every day, loved and missed
Left your loving family too young and too soon
Lived, loved and laughed each day
Everyone misses you "Big D"
Missed each and every day
A true heavenly angel
Rest in heavenly peace sweet girl
In our lives and gave so much love to all
Everyone misses you Danielle Marie
DANIELLE'S MEMORIAL PATIO , Southington CT.
Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory.
Remember
When your dreams have ended
Time can be transcendent,
Just remember me.
I am the one star
That keeps burning
So brightly
It is the last light
To fade into the rising sun.
And with you
whenever you tell
My story
For I am all I've done.
Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory
Remember me.
I Am that one voice
In the cold wind
That whispers
And if you listen
You'll hear me call across the sky.
As long as
I still can reach out
And touch you
Then I will never die.
Remember
I'll never leave you
If you will only
Remember me.
(Remember me.)
Remember
I will still be here
As long as you hold me
In your memory.
Remember
When your dreams have ended
Time can be transcendent
I live forever,
Remember me.
Remember me.
Danielle Marie's Memorial Brick-Southington, CT
My Love Is With You
My love is with you Oh, sweet Danielle, what can I say?
My heart is empty without you each day.
The angel wings you wear must be so grand,
If only I could reach out and touch your hand.
Maybe then we could say good-bye
Which could help dry the tears that I cry.
Now I know that's impossible for us to do,
So let's make a deal, just me and you.
When I look to the stars at night,
You look for me with all your might.
When you see me just shine real bright,
And together we can send our love and say good night.
I miss you, Danielle, more every day,
And the emptiness I feel will not go away.
You are my daughter and will always be,
My angel in heaven looking down on me.
You will live in my heart,
And I will try to be strong,
Because, Danielle, in my heart is where you belong.
I love you, darling, sleep well, my daughter.
 
Danielle Marie's Memorial Tree & Plaque-New Brunswick, Canada
A Child Of Mine
I'll lend you for a little while
A child of mine
For you to love while she lives
And mourn when she is dead
It may be six or seven years
Or twenty-two or three
But will you
'Til I call her back
Take care of her for me?
She'll bring her charms to gladden you
And shall her stay be brief
You'll have her lovely memories
As solace for your grief
I cannot promise she will stay
As all from earth return
But there are lessons taught down there
That I want this child to learn
I've looked the wide world over
In my search
For teachers true and from the throngs
That crowd life's lanes I have chosen you
Now will you give her all your love?
Not think the labor vain?
Nor hate me when I call her back again?
I fancied that I heard them say
Dear Lord thy will be done
For all the joy this child shall bring
And risk of grief we'll run
We'll shower her with tenderness
And love her while we may
And for the happiness we've known
Forever grateful stay
And should the Angels call her
Much sooner than we planned
We'll brave the bitter grief that comes
And try to understand
~Author Unknown~
I'm Still Here
Mother and father, please don't mourn for me
I'm still here, though you don't see
I'm right by your side each night and day
And within your heart I long to stay
My body is gone but I'm always near
I'm everything you feel, see or hear
My spirit is free, but I'll never depart
As long as you keep me alive in your heart
I'll never wander out of your sight
I'm the brightest star on a summer night
I'll never be beyond your reach
I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach
I'm the colorful leaf when fall comes around
And the pure white snow that blankets the ground
I'm the beautiful flower of which you're so fond
The clear cool water in a quit pond
I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring
The first warm raindrop that April will bring
I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine
And you'll see that the face in the moon is mine
When you start thinking there's no one to love you
You can talk to me through the Lord above you
I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees
And you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze
I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep
And the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep
I'm the smile you see on a baby's face
Just look for me, Mother and father, I'm everyplace!
~Author Unknown~
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Click here to see Danielle Plourde's Family Tree |
 Tributes and Condolences |
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Dear Danielle, / Natalie Camp
Danielle you are always in my prayers that you are flying high singing and dancing in the presence of the Lord. I know you are a beautiful Angel in Heaven. I know you must be so proud of your mom dad and Jonathan for how graceful they carry their los...
 Continue >>
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On Danielle's 15th Birthday / Vickey O'Nea Woodward (GP Mom to my Michelle & David )
As your family commemorates Danielle's birthday keep your hearts open to her love and the memories that built it into such a strong part of your lives. My warmest thoughts are with you. |
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Thinking of you / Cheryl Brule (GP member )
Thinking of you John and your family on this day of remembrance of beautiful Danielle Marie. My prayers go out to you on this day.
With love and hope
Cheryl
Caleb's mom |
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Dear John / Nick's Mom (friend)
I sit and read your passages about how you feel. I hear all the same words and I have all the same answers as you. They have no idea how much it hurts. I like you pray they will never know. I am not going to fill this message with eords of enc...
Continue >>
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Thinking of you / Cheryl (Grieving parents site )
So sorry about the loss of your beautiful daughter Danielle. What beautiful memorial tributes that have been placed in her honor. She will be forever remembered. Her life mattered. With love and hope Cheryl
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Heavenly buddies / Wanda Howard (Danielle and my daughter Miranda are heavenly buddies. ) Read >> |
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a shared feeling / Nicholas Sister (New friend ) Read >> |
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a shared feeling / Nicholas Sister (New friend ) Read >> |
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time is standing still / Mia L. (Friend & GS leader ) Read >> |
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Not so Happy Anniversary / Tina (Friend) Read >> |
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To John: / Sue Hopson (Grievingparents site ) Read >> |
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Peace / Lisa Rousseau Read >> |
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I know how you feel / Shaida Chalfant Read >> |
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prayers / Maggie Crutchfield Read >> |
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sooo sorry for your loss / Iris Aguilo (passerby from Long Island NY ) Read >> |
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| Her legacy |
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LATEST NEWS:
LATEST UPDATES:
Driver sentenced in girl’s death
Child’s father reads emotional statement
By Bradford L. Miner
Worcester TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
Feb 9, 2008
EAST BROOKFIELD— A North Brookfield woman who pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular homicide in the death of an 11-year-old Connecticut girl will lose her driver’s license for 15 years, the result of a plea agreement yesterday in Western Worcester District Court.
Jessica M. Matasavage, 26, of 1 Summit Terrace, North Brookfield, stood sobbing next to her lawyer, Robert George, as Judge Charles A. Abdella read the terms of the agreement: one year of supervised probation followed by two years of administrative probation; 200 hours of community service; and by statute, the loss of her driver’s license for 15 years.
Ms. Matasavage had pleaded guilty in the Feb. 20, 2006, death of 11-year-old Danielle M. Plourde of Southington, Conn., as a result of a chain-reaction accident on Route 49 at Putnam Road in Sturbridge.
In July 2006, police charged her with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation and failure to use care in starting or stopping.
Yesterday, Assistant District Attorney William M. McGourty recounted the facts of the case:
About 11 a.m. Feb. 20, 2006, Ms. Matasavage was driving a Honda Civic from Putnam Road onto Route 49 northbound. John W. Broyles, driver of a northbound tractor-trailer truck, lost control of the truck when the Honda pulled onto the highway and swerved into the southbound lane and hit a Chevrolet TrailBlazer carrying the Connecticut family.
He said a state police accident reconstruction team determined the line of sight from the Putnam Road intersection to be between 700 and 1,500 feet.
“Ms. Matasavage misjudged the time and distance of the approaching tractor-trailer, thereby setting in motion a chain of events that led to the crash,” Mr. McGourty said.
According to court records, witnesses told police they saw Ms. Matasavage using a cell phone when her car drove through a stop sign at Putnam Road and hit the front of Mr. Broyles’ truck.
John Plourde, Danielle’s father, was the first of four family members to read impact statements recounting the initial shock of learning of his daughter’s death and the critical injuries to his wife, Bernice.
Because his wife was hospitalized with head trauma from the crash, he said, he was responsible for making all the arrangements for his daughter’s funeral and burial.
“The darkest moment in my life came at the moment when I said goodbye for the last time to my daughter as she lay in a casket,” Mr. Plourde said.
His daughter was active in Girl Scouts, he said, telling those present in court how she also played violin in the school orchestra, enjoyed softball, swimming, camping, the outdoors, and activities with her brother, Jonathan, and her six male cousins.
Mr. Plourde described the intense sadness since the death of his daughter that accompanies all holidays, vacations and family gatherings.
“At 10:59 a.m. on that February morning, the life of our family was changed forever in an instant,” he said, stopping to remove his glasses, and wipe tears from his eyes.
“Not a day passes that I don’t shed tears at the loss of Danielle, experience the pain and grief of not having her with us. For a child to die before a parent is simply not the natural order of life,” Mr. Plourde said, reading from typed pages.
After the impact statements were read, Mr. George told the court his client fully accepted responsibility for the events resulting in Danielle’s death.
“I cannot make the Plourde family whole again, but I know that Jessica lives with the consequences of her actions daily. She may not have suffered the deep loss that the Plourde family has experienced, but her life as well has been forever altered,” the lawyer said.
“She will have to pursue her education, her career, and 15 years of her life without a driver’s license. This clearly has had a devastating effect on everyone involved,” he said.
Judge Abdella said he had read the impact statements and the six-page memorandum submitted by the defense lawyer.
Addressing the Plourde family, he commended their courage and strength for being in the courtroom and said that while the court could administer justice, it could not remove the family’s sorrow.
“Like a piece of fine crystal that falls to the floor and is shattered and can never be restored, the court cannot make your family whole again. I know you will keep Danielle’s spirit alive,” he said.
Addressing Ms. Matasavage and her family, he noted that unlike many who appear before him in court on countless occasions, she had no prior history with the court and was an accomplished student.
“I believe your guilty plea was proper and I commend you for admitting guilt. Justice is a difficult vehicle to mete out, and I recognize that you will live with the burdens of this experience for the rest of your life,” Judge Abdella said.
Addressing both families, the judge said, “It is never easy to be a parent.”
The Plourde family maintains a Web site in memory of a daughter described as “a beautiful, loving little girl who was cherished by her family every moment of her life.”
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Our Daughter, Danielle Marie
Danielle was born on a VERY cold January 4th in 1995 in Hartford, Connecticut.
To the proud parents of John & Bernice Plourde, she was a perfect, healthy and beautiful baby girl with dark hair and blue eyes. She was very happy baby and loved her big brother. Danielle was very curious about EVERYTHING she had so many what and why questions as a young toddler. Danielle LOVED to have stories read to her and became an excellent reader also. She LOVED to read to her younger cousins as they stared at her in awe. She loved other babies and was a “little mother” to all her cousins born after her helping to bath, change, dress and even helping their mommies feed them. There was ALWAYS a favorite doll that Danielle would “practice” her mommy skills on. Danielle had the unique distinction of being the ONLY little girl in our family. Both her aunts had only boys (6 in all). Danielle NEVER let that bother her; she LOVED to get just as rough and dirty as her cousins and brother. She also had a very special love for her family. She was a true light in our lives.
Danielle made instant friends with any other child she met. She loved the outdoors and was a true nature lover (except for those pesky bees). She enjoyed outdoor sports from a very early age and played TBall, soccer, swimming, basketball and then found her true love playing girls softball. She was an excellent player and a true teammate.
Danielle was an excellent student who had a gift for reading, history and LOVED math. She received all A’s and B’s during her 5 years in grammar school. She continued developing her reading skills and a reading buddy to her younger schoolmates. She was active in her school community becoming a very good violin player and being elected to the advanced orchestra. She never minded practicing and enjoyed playing music with her friends. She loved to dance in her basement family room with a couple of her closest friends and sing along with her Karaoke machine. She also loved to play the electronic keyboard that her uncle David gave to her.
Danielle loved spending time with her Girl Scout troop. She was very active in every event and community service project that she could participate in. She advanced in her skills and a person and a young lady.
Danielle enjoyed spending time with her family. Each holiday was very special when our family would be together and Danielle and her cousins had a good time and were all exhausted at the end of the day. Danielle’s life was full of laughter, love and adventure. She was a very special young lady, loved and cherished by many. Danielle Marie was a fun loving, happy young lady who was talented and succeeded in any task or challenge that she would take on.
On February 20th, 2006 at 11 years and 47 days old, our precious and life-loving daughter, Danielle Marie died at 10:59am in an automobile collision in Sturbridge, MA. She died of a massive traumatic head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene. My wife and son (13) were also in our SUV, which was broadsided by a tractor-trailer who lost control after being hit by a car who went through the intersection. My wife was critically injured (head injury) spent several days in the hospital and is since recovering at home. My son was not injured in the accident (physically).
Her family will NEVER share the experience of watching her grow into a teen, graduate high school, mature into a young adult and finally a wonderful, loving woman. We will never experience the joy of helping guide her through her life, answering her questions, supporting and helping her through the “growing pains” that we all must face. We will never watch her experience the happiness and heartbreak of falling in love; perhaps getting married and becoming a mother and raising her own children. Our future with our beloved daughter was RECKLESSLY AND ABRUPTULY STOLEN from us that terrible day.
On Saturday March 25, 2006 we said our final goodbyes to our beautiful, wonderful, young daughter as we buried her. Danielle Marie was a huge part of our lives, which was taken away that day and can never be replaced. We will miss Danielle Marie each and every day forever.
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| Danielle's Photo Album |
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| Danielle Marie Plourde-01 |
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