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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - Friends and family members gathered in Fort Simpson on Dec. 11 to remember a teenager whose life was cut tragically short.

More than 40 people attended the memorial service for Keisha Trudel, 16, who died late last month in a vehicle accident in Fort Smith. The service was organized by a group of Trudel's friends including Destiny Nahanni, Daphne Squirrel, Ian Schaefer and Trudel's sister Charlene Gargan.

Keisha Trudel, 16, was remembered at a memorial service in Fort Simpson for her radiant smile and bubbly, unique personality. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Trudel will be remembered as always being happy and being very sociable, said Schaefer, from Fort Smith.

"She had a smile beautiful enough to light up every candle in the world," Schaefer said during the service.

Her great personality and her wonderful smile were two of the things that drew people to her, said Daphne Squirrel.

Trudel "had an ability to always make friends no matter where she was," said her mother Sharon Allen.

"She just had this knack of gathering people around her," Allen said.

There was always an endless stream of phone calls to the house from people who just wanted to talk with her, said Allen. People were also drawn to Trudel because of her energy.

"Everything was just so random with her," said Allen.

You always knew when Trudel came or left a room because she'd have a unique entrance and an equally unique exit.

"That's what people loved about her," Allen said.

"She just had such a thirst for life."

In addition to spending time with her friends, Trudel also enjoyed music and was involved in a variety of sports including volleyball, basketball and track and field.

Trudel was living in Fort Smith, where Allen is in her second year of a Bachelor's of Education at Aurora College, and attending Paul William Kaeser high school at the time of the accident.

Trudel was one of five people in a vehicle on Nov. 23 when the driver lost control on the snow covered Park Drive.

According to the Fort Smith RCMP both alcohol and speed appear to be factors in the accident. In addition, none of the occupants were wearing seatbelts.

Allen has met with the teenager who was driving and his family.

Allen forgave the driver and asked him not to punish himself.

"I pray to God that he learns from this and moves on with his life," she said.

Trudel was buried in her father Claude Trudel's hometown of Albertville, Sask., a village approximately 25 km northeast of Prince Albert, on Nov. 29.

Allen said that her family and friends have been helping her through this time.

"It's the hardest thing I've had to do," she said.

The driver, a 16-year-old boy, has been charged with criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death. The name of the accused cannot be released under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.