Carrie is the youngest of the 3 beloved daughters of William Thomas Russell II "Tom" and Anita Faye (Parks) Russell. She had turned 17 just a month before she passed away.

She was survived by parents and her older sisters Jennifer & Stephanie. Carrie was 9 years younger than Jen, and 6 years younger than Steph. She was also survived by one niece, 3 year old Alyssa Ferrara, daughter of her sister Jennifer; by both of her maternal grandparents, her paternal grandmother, and a brother-in-law Angelo Ferrara.

My family met the Russell's in Oct 1982 in Germany. My mother and Anita were both young Air Force wives, with young children, and quickly became great friends. It was made better by the fact that Jenn and I were the same age and became best friends, and that Steph and my little sister Hilary were the same age and became best friends. After Germany, both of our families got orders to Texas.

I remember when Carrie was born. My mother went to the hospital at Carswell A.F.B. with Anita. I remember that they had wanted a boy so bad, but when they saw Carrie, they were so excited, they completely forgot about having a boy.

We moved from Texas to Colorado less than a year after Carrie's birth, and that was the last time I saw the family. They stayed in Texas, eventually moving to Guam, Japan, Mississippi and then retiring in Virginia. My mother and Anita have talked on the phone, visited, and traded pictures, many times since then. The last time I talked to Jenn (before this tragedy), Carrie was about 10 years old. So I always remember Carrie as a baby.

Carrie looks just like her mother and sisters. It's the eyes, the shape of the face, those cheeks, and that smile. I see Jenn and Steph in her so much.

Carrie was killed in a car accident. She died instantly.

Carrie was a junior at Nandua High School, and worked as an EMT for Melfa Volunteer Fire Company (who were one group, of the many emergency personnel, who responded to the accident).