April 5, 2013
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the day we will never forget when our dear friends Billy and Ashley were tragically taken from us. There is a memorial mass Saturday April 6th at Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel church in Cedar Knolls, NJ. The mass starts at 5:00PM.
There has recently been an amazing legal organization setup in Billy and Ashley's honor. The following statement was made by the Parents of Billy and Ashley: "An Honor, A Tribute, A Celebration and Impeccable Timing! It is being announced April 5th on CBS Channel 2 News at 5:00 p.m. by Christine Sloan the opening of the new division at The New Jersey Victims? Crime Law Center. Richard Pompelio Esq., Executive Director contacted us several weeks ago informing us of a new program that was being instituted in New Jersey for DWI victims since MADD no longer exists in this area. The new division is named ?Billy and Ashley Streiter Drunk Driving Resource Center.? Richard Pompelio was determined to execute the program for the 10th anniversary. The New Jersey Crime Victims? Law Center is located at 113 Parsippany Road, Parsippany, NJ. www.njcvlc.org. 973 729-9342"
Please take a moment to watch the news clip about this organization featuring Bill and Debbie Streiter. If you have problems viewing the video, you can click the link below it that will redirect you to the CBS website where the original video is located
This site is dedicated to Debbie and Bill Streiter…for without them, we would not have had Ashley and Billy in our lives. This is the story of who they were, where they came from, and who we lost.
From a young age the love between Ashley and Billy was evident. It was a profound friendship between a brother and a sister. Their love began when Billy was old enough to realize he had someone to take care of and Ashley had someone to annoy. Yes, they teased one another and argued every so often. Yet, there was a clear understanding that these small arguments would be over in no time. In fact, Ashley used to curl her upper lip under her teeth much like a chipmunk and tease by saying, “You’re getting mad!” Instead of getting angry, Billy would laugh hysterically. They were the best of friends.
As Ashley and Billy went off to college their friendship only grew stronger. They talked everyday and each time the conversation ended with “I love you.” As they got older, their conversations became more about their own love stories. Advice was always given and taken as needed. Here is a story to show their love: Billy went to bring Ashley to college with his parents. Ashley was devastated to leave her family, group of friends, and the small town where she lived. Guess who stayed long after her parents left? Billy. He stayed for hours until she stopped crying.
In the Streiter family, the power is not in numbers, but love. Anyone who knew Billy and Ashley, knew how important their grandparents were to them: Ma and Poppy. Ashley’s most treasured possession was a worn-out red t-shirt with the letters POPPY spelled out across the front. They had a hard time when he passed away and vowed to always be there for Ma. Moreover, they cherished time spent with Uncle Joey and Aunt Wendy and their two children, Joey and Vincent. They even threw birthday parties for their beloved dog Max. A close-knit family, Ashley, Billy, and their parents traveled often and were privileged to see more of the world than most people get to see in a lifetime.
When Billy was little, Debbie and Bill asked him, “how much do you love us?” His child mind thought to quantify it, so he responded with, “2-5, 2-5.” The numbers stuck, until Ashley came around--and had to top it. She began saying, “I love you 2-5, 2-5, 100, 2,000,” the biggest numbers she could think of at the time. Saying or writing this became a quirky habit in the Streiter household. Just one “I love you” was never enough, and it was traditions like these that made their family relationships so special.
April 5, 2003 was no exception in how they cared for each other. Stranded without a ride and wishing to be responsible, Billy called his sister, who was 30 minutes away, in the middle of the night. He knew she would jump out of bed for him--and that’s exactly what she did. In her infamous POPPY t-shirt, she drove through the rain to pick up Billy and his best friend, Craig. Hours later, local police showed up at the Streiter home, breaking the terrible news that both children had been killed in an accident. Ashley’s car had been disabled on the slick road, and then hit by a speeding driver who was under the influence and carrying an already suspended license. We will never know what those last moments were like for them, except that the same love and care they gave each other throughout their lives were present to the very end: paramedics found Billy hurdled over the driver’s seat, his arms around his little sister, protecting her as he always did.
Most of us still don’t know why or how this tragedy happened. April 5, 2003 will forever be a date that is imprinted in the minds of those who knew Billy and Ashley Streiter. At times, it seems like we’re telling a tale of a love story between a brother and sister that we never knew. Other times it feels like they’re still here. But at last we are talking about angels who touched all of our lives for a period of time.
Contributed by,
Caitlin Dwyre &
Michelle DiSarno
Lifelong friends of
Ashley and Billy Streiter
