As Westbrook High School students graduate this weekend, they will do so without a classmate who died unexpectedly a little over a week ago.

Westbrook High School senior Alanna Phillips-Crocker, 18, passed away unexpectedly in her sleep on May 20, just two weeks before her high school graduation. Her friends remembered her last week as a girl who embraced life to the fullest.

Her parents, Kevin Crocker and Sandra Phillips, said they are still not sure what happened to their daughter. They said she had been at a concert with some friends and had come home and had even spent some time with her mother on the computer planning a vacation before heading off to bed. She passed away in her sleep sometime during the night, they said.

The state medical examiner is looking into the death, but has yet to release any findings.

Phillips remembered her daughter as a writer and a poet. She said Alanna was a free spirit who loved to dance. “She was looking forward to life,” Phillips said.

High School Principal Marc Gousse said the school was still trying to cope with the loss of Phillips-Crocker, who was 30th in her class and had been accepted to the University of New Hampshire. “It’s a huge, huge loss,” Gousse said. “She was a bright girl, she liked to dance, and she liked to write. She was a kind person.”

As they were getting ready to begin marching practice for Sunday’s graduation, some of Crocker-Phillips’ friends took the time to remember their friend. While the loss was still fresh, they all laughed as they remembered Phillips-Crocker as someone who loved to have fun and could brighten up a room when she entered.

“Alanna was definitely a free sprit,” said Jenna Dorr, a classmate. “She loved to dance a lot. That’s probably how I’ll remember her.”

With a laugh, Dorr recalled a moment just recently when she and Phillips-Crocker were walking to get ice cream. Dorr said Phillips-Crocker suddenly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk because she had the sudden urge to dance. However, because she wanted to waltz, she needed a partner, so Phillips-Crocker insisted that Dorr waltz with her. So, the two girls stopped and had an impromptu waltz right there on the sidewalk.

Kara Taliento, another classmate, said impromptu dances were just Phillips-Crocker’s style. “She always made everyone laugh,” Taliento said. “She was just a great person.”

Taliento said Phillips-Crocker was also known for her sense of fashion. She said she had homeroom with Alanna, and would always look forward to seeing her outfits.

“Probably my favorite part of the day was waiting to see what she had on,” she said. “She was such a great dresser.”

Sarah Angel, a classmate and close friend of Phillips-Crocker, said she was a very outgoing person who was one of her very good friends.

Erica Brown, another classmate, said Angel and Phillips-Crocker were always together. When you saw Phillips-Crocker, you would usually see Angel, she said.

Brown also said she remembered Phillips-Crocker as an outspoken person who was never afraid to speak her mind. At the same time, she always looked to lift the spirits of those around her.

“If you were sad or down, she would try to make you happy,” said Brown. “She was always trying to have fun in the goofiest ways.”

Michelle Olney, another classmate, said it was the goofy, fun side of Phillips-Crocker that she would remember the most. “Even now, when I do something goofy, I’ll think of Alanna,” she said.

“Alanna was a great girl,” Senior Class President Adam Roy said. “She was always upbeat. She was funny. She usually always had a smile on her face. Everyone really, really misses her. I can’t even describe the impact on the class. A lot of people were devastated.”

Crocker said losing his daughter has been devastating on the family, but he said the support that the community has shown his family has been a great help. He said over 500 people came to his daughter’s wake, and people have been calling and stopping by to offer their condolences and support.

“We have had the most wonderful outpouring of support,” Crocker said. “It’s really helping.”

Like her husband, Phillips said all of the support that the school and the community in general have made a difficult time easier to bear. “We would like to publicly thank everyone for doing what they have done for our family, because we couldn’t have done it without them,” she said.

Crocker, who plans to receive Alanna’s high school diploma in her memory during the high school’s graduation this weekend, also had a message for her classmates.

“We want the kids to be happy at the prom and graduation,” Crocker said. “They need to dance up a storm in memory of Alanna.”

Gousse said the high school is planning to plant a tree in Crocker-Phillips’ memory in front of the high school tomorrow (June 2) at 11 a.m. Gousse also said a scholarship has been established in Crocker-Phillips’ memory. He said donations can be sent to: The Alanna Phillips-Crocker Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Marc Gousse, Westbrook High School, 125 Stroudwater St., Westbrook, Maine 04092.

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