Published March 18. 2025 03:26PM
It was 10 years ago on Aug. 20, 2015, when an automobile crash in Penn Forest Township took the lives of Taylor Shepherdson, 16, and Jasmine Fonseca, 15, both of Albrightsville.
They were students at the Jim Thorpe Area High School, and both were cheerleaders.
Since that time, the girls’ families have kept their legacies alive with a scholarship program.
“We give a yearly scholarship out for our girls,” Natalie Shepherdson, Taylor’s mom, said. “It’s $1,000 we give out every year to a senior cheerleader at the Jim Thorpe High School.”
A fundraiser was held Saturday in the Sargent Enterprises building at 410 Center Ave., the former Jim Thorpe Junior High School.
The event featured the Extreme Hybrid Wrestling March of Champions professional wrestling program, along with a basket auction and a bake sale.
“We want to say thank you to all the cheerleaders who are here today,” Carla Fonseca, Jasmine’s mom, added.
“And we want to say thank you to Sargent Enterprises for allowing us to use the building.” Shepherdson said. “And the EHW; they’re donating half their proceeds for the scholarships.”
Left: Carla Fonseca, left, and Natalie Shepherdson hosted an event to raise funds for a scholarship program in honor of their daughters, Jasmine Fonseca and Taylor Shepherdson, who died in a car crash 10 years ago. JAMES LOGUE JR./SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS
Above: Gabby Gilbert takes down Say-Ga at the Extreme Hybrid Wrestling March of Champions professional wrestling program Saturday, a fundraiser to benefit the Taylor Shepherdson/Jasmine Fonseca scholarship program.