Friend pushes for changes to railroad track after teen was hit, killed

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The last 48 hours have felt like a nightmare for Faith Erhard.

“I'll miss everything about her,” Erhard said.

Her best friend, 15-year-old Savanna Bright, was walking on train tracks near Taylorsville Road and Pope Lick Road in Louisville on Sunday night when she was hit by a train.

Louisville Metro police said Bright was with another teen, identified by family members as Kaylee.

Bright died at the scene. Kaylee was rushed to University Hospital in critical condition.

“[Savanna] would never do anything that she would think would put herself in danger. Her intentions were not to do any harm,” Erhard said. “She just wanted to take pictures. That's what she always loved to do was take pictures.”

Erhard said she and Bright met in the 7th grade and have been inseparable ever since.

“She went on vacations with me and she was actually supposed to go this coming month...to Orlando with me,” Erhard recalled. “She talked about it every day. She really just wanted to see the beach."

The two didn’t go to the same school, but Erhard said they did just about everything together, spending time with each other’s families and always ordering the same types of food.

"She's like family to me and the rest of my family,” she said.

Erhard said Bright was a kind, adventurous teen. She still can’t believe what happened to her best friend.

“I knew that she had to have been scared in that split second,” Erhard said.

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Tuesday afternoon, two teens left a wooden cross and flowers with Bright’s name on it to remember the teen.

After a similar tragedy a few years ago, gates were installed and no trespassing signs posted on either side of the tracks, but Erhard would like to see something more.

“Because this is going to continue to happen. People are going to go up there,” Erhard said.

She suggests adding platforms to the tracks so a tragedy like this doesn’t happen again.

“I know if there were platforms my best friend would be home right now safe,” she said. “I refuse to stop before there is change. Because of this I lost my best friend and I will never forgive anyone for that.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Bright’s family to help cover funeral expenses.

According to the page, there will be a visitation Friday, May 31 from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Evergreen Funeral Home. The funeral will be Saturday at 12 p.m.

There is also a GoFundMe page for Kaylee to help with medical costs.

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