When Daysha Carter met anyone, says her aunt Calandra Carter, she easily formed a bond. She loved to make people laugh. For the youngest members of her family, Daysha always gave special nicknames.
“We had so much planned,” Calandra Carter said. “We did so much together. We had made so many plans.”
Daysha Carter and her boyfriend Ibrahim Gray left Calandra Carter’s home late Christmas night. Just after midnight, a pickup truck collided with their vehicle in Luling. Gray survived, but Daysha was killed in the crash. She was 26 and the mother of a two-month-old son, Messiah.
“We were watching Christmas movies and she’d left a little after midnight,” said Calandra. “I got the phone call at 8 the next morning. The lady said she was trying to get in touch with Daysha’a family … she’d been in a bad accident. She’s in ICU at University Hospital. I immediately screamed … my daughter, my granddaughter came running.
“You start thinking, OK, she was in an accident. She’s gonna be OK, though. It’s not gonna be that bad, because it’s Daysha and she’s a fighter. But I was crying. I just kept telling myself, I’ve gotta get there, I’ve gotta get there. It was horrible.”
But the family’s worst fears were realized.
According to Louisiana State Police, 20-year-old Brogan Freman of Boutte was driving the other vehicle. During the on-scene investigation, Freman provided a breathalyzer sample showing he was over the legal limit of blood alcohol concentration, according to police. He was arrested and booked into Nelson Coleman Correctional Center on charges of DWI first offense, reckless operation, vehicular negligent injuring and first-degree vehicular negligent injuring.
Speaking just a week removed from the tragedy, Calandra said the family is going through a very painful time.
Daysha, she said, radiated positive energy about her wherever she went.
“She always wanted to take care of other people. She didn’t have much – but what she had, she’d give to you if you needed it. She was just that kind of person,” Calandra said. “If she ever had a falling out with someone, a couple days later they’re back talking again. She didn’t hold grudges, wanted to look on the bright side of things and be happy.”
She also had a special soft spot for children.
“To all the kids in the family, she was their big play buddy,” said Calandra. “They all got their own little special name from her. She was a fun girl and she made people laugh.
“We’re hurting. We still don’t want to believe that she’s gone.”
Hurt, and also anger.
“To take someone so sweet and well-loved, connected with so many people … a new mom. We want justice,” said Calandra. “We want this to stop. And until they start putting stiffer penalties on drunk drivers, it’s not gonna stop. I’d give everything to have her back.
“I want this person to feel just a little bit of what he took from us. He’ll never feel the full impact of what he took from her friends, her family, her boyfriend, her son. We want a stiff penalty. We want justice for her.”
The family has posted a GoFundMe fundraiser (titled Donate in Memory of Daysha Carter) in support of Daysha’s son – donations will go toward a trust for the boy.
Beyond the help that can provide, it will nonetheless take much more, said Calandra.
“We’re all going to have to pull together and help Messiah throughout his life, because he’s never going to know his mother,” Calandra said.
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