About Sandy Kilde
Date of Birth: 12/30/1942
Hometown: Beulah, ND
“I love you more…” A simple text that would become the last one ever from my mom. It was her birthday, so I had talked to her a couple times as I was unable to be with her this year. It was so nice to hear her sound happy. She had been so heartbroken since we lost our dad in January so unexpectedly. My youngest sister was visiting for the holidays, and I knew how much she loved having her around. She spoke excitedly about her plans for her birthday...supper at my sister's house, and then a movie with her grandkids. The last time we spoke I hung up and texted her how good it was for my heart to hear her sounding so happy, and that I loved her so much. She texted me right back as always,..."I love you more :)". A short two hours later, I would be at the emergency room on my knees pleading, praying, begging for a miracle. A miracle was not to be. My mom clung onto life until every one of her children was at the hospital, and then quietly passed away in the very early morning hours of December 31, 2009. Sandra Kilde was more than a statistic. She was a mother, a grandmother, a sister, an auntie, a friend, a loved neighbor, a nurse, a volunteer, and a beautiful person. She liked crafts, traveling, shopping, her flower gardens, holidays with her family, Church on Sundays, watching Disney movies with her grandkids and the Minnesota Vikings. She was the grandma who never missed a sporting event, class play, band concert, Sunday school program, or a chance to brag about how wonderful her grandkids were in every way. Our mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend is gone not just because someone chose to drink and drive, but also because people chose to not do anything about it. Don't let drunk drivers take any more of our loved ones. Make that call...don't think twice. The life you save may be someone who you love, or someone who loves you more.
Crash Details
Crash Date: 12/30/2009
Crash Location: Hazen, ND
Contributing Factors in Crash: Hit by an impaired driver
Crash Details:
My mother was traveling west on Hwy 200 going from Hazen to Beulah to pick up her grandkids for the movie. It was 6:00 pm on her birthday, December 30. She came around a corner and the intoxicated driver was in the wrong lane, driving at a speed of nearly 100 mph. Mom never had a chance to swerve, to even react. The drunk driver was killed instantly, and my mom lived for 7 hours. She suffered multiple fractured bones and a life ending brain injury. She was wearing her seatbelt. We will be forever grateful for the concerned citizen who called and stayed on the phone with 911 and followed the drunk driver trying to get law enforcement there before someone got hurt. You are a courageous and honorable person who will always be a hero in our eyes. We lost our mom, but we know how hard you tried to keep that from happening. The world needs more people like you.