Friends, family gather for teen's funeral

14-year-old Jordan Sommise died in crash last Saturday night

BAKER COUNTY, Fla. – Hundreds gathered at First Baptist Church in Glen St. Mary Saturday to pay their respects to Jordan Sommise, the 14-year-old teenager who died in a car accident a week earlier.

Jordan was killed when she was thrown from a pickup truck she was riding in with two other teens.

Channel 4's Kumasi Aaron spoke with people at the funeral, and found the service wasn't the only way those who loved her chose to say goodbye.

"Seeing those balloons go up and seeing what people wrote on them it was like us sending a message to her and them going to be up in heaven with her," said Ashton Godbee, Jordan's best friend.

Those who loved the teen chose to say goodbye by releasing balloons into to the sky. The balloons were blue and pink, Jordan's favorite colors.

The crowd watched the balloons float way in front of the church. Those inside say it was full of tears, laughter and good memories of the teen taken too soon.

"They talked about her and how she was so bubbly and happy and she was exactly that. And I can see her right now in heaven just go around saying hi and meeting new people," said Godbee.

The service lasted here for about an hour and a half. There were so many people, the entire first level of the church and part of the balcony were filled.

"I'm so blessed to have a daughter that… touched so many people's lives. It's just, I can't hardly imagine," said Sommise.

People said Jordan's life touched old and new friends alike.

"We met about three weeks ago, and ever since them she's changed my life basically. I never met a girl like her before," said Dalton Henderson.

"Everyone remembers her as she was and just remembers the smile on her face that was always there," said Joshua Mosley.