Death brings reflection

By MARK WAITE

VIEW STAFF WRITER

It was a little quieter in the hallways at Pahrump Valley High School last Thursday afternoon as 160 students received excused absences to attend funeral services for sophomore Rachel Reynolds, 15, who died suddenly Oct. 8.

Reynolds died during surgery for a brain tumor at Sunrise Hospital.

"She was there one day and gone the next," her mother Jessie Reynolds said. "She had this brain tumor her entire life and we didn't know it, nobody knew it."

The problem began with headaches six months ago, she said. When the months went by, the problem got worse and doctors initially thought Rachel was suffering from migraine headaches.

The family's health care provider said Rachel had to wait her turn and refused to authorize a cat scan unless it was a life or death situation, which eventually it became, Reynolds said. The cat scan identified the brain tumor.

A bank account has been set up to accept donations for Rachel's funeral expenses and medical bills. Donors may contribute to Bank of America savings account no. 004961733690. The Bank of America branch is located at 200 S. Highway 160, Pahrump, Nev., 89048, or donors may mail their contributions.

"We've never had an emergency like this. I don't know if we're going to start getting bills," Reynolds said. The brain surgery alone cost $90,000, she said. Everyone at the hospital was so devastated they didn't mention anything about the cost, Reynolds said. Funeral expenses were $2,500.

Pahrump Valley High School Principal Jerry Hill remembered Rachel as a student who really liked school.

"She was a popular kid, a good kid, a real good kid," Hill said.

In a sign of her popularity, Reynolds said there were no flowers left at the local flower shops, they were all bought up for Rachel's funeral.