Remembering a life that ended too soon

Fifteen purple-and-white bouquets lined the altar of St. Gabriel's Church in Norwood yesterday morning, one for each year of Vanessa Dorwart's too-short life.

Among the flowers hung a large quilt emblazoned with Dorwart's photograph. Beneath lay her pearl-colored casket.

In the aisles, as those who knew Dorwart gathered for their final farewell, scores of teenagers milled in front of neon pink posters covered with photographs and quotes, recalling their friend. Through tears, they shared laughter and memories. The flair of their youthful attire served as a constant reminder of what had been lost, a life barely begun.

On the morning of Feb. 25, Dorwart and Gina Gentile, 16, stepped in front of a high-speed Amtrak train just miles from their school, Interboro Senior High. The sophomores from Glenolden had been upset by the loss of a friend killed in a bicycle accident a month earlier. Authorities said they had committed suicide.

(Visitation for Gentile will be from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the Kevin M. Lyons Funeral Service, 202 S. Chester Pike, Glenolden. Her funeral will begin at 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Gabriel's.)

As the two friends were apparently planning their deaths, Dorwart's family was making preparations for her 16th birthday party.

A week later, the family sat in a church filled with Dorwart's friends and classmates. Relatives read from Scripture and sang songs including "Jesus, Remember Me," "Be Not Afraid," and "Amazing Grace."

"Good morning," began the Rev. Samuel Verruni. "Except I don't think that good is a fitting word, so instead I'll say, 'Welcome.' "

Verruni acknowledged the sad and terrible impact of Dorwart's death, saying he had received phone calls and e-mails from around the country. He was even contacted by member of his parish who is in Rome.

He urged Dorwart's loved ones to keep their faith through these difficult times.

Verruni said that when confronted with such unfathomable tragedies, people adopt one of two perspectives. He held up a poster that read "Godisnowhere."

"It is up to you to decide which way you read it," he said, showing two more posters, one reading "God is nowhere" and the other "God is now here."

Toward the end of the ceremony, Dorwart's older sister, Francine, 17, read a poem she had written comparing their sibling relationship to that of twins.

"Thank you, dear sister, I'll love you till the end," she read as younger sister Paige, 9, stood nearby for support. "Thank you, dear sister, for always being my friend."

When the service was over, family and friends helped one another up the aisles. Outside in the warm sunlight, they exchanged hugs and last-minute memories before a final procession to SS. Peter and Paul Cemetery.