Alpha Phi member Sofia Preston places flowers on Deslyn Williams’ tire Oct. 17. Preston said she felt honored to be at a ceremony to remember our four girls. Photos by Haylie Ross
Editor’s Note: The Graphic chose to refer to Asha Weir, Deslyn Williams, Niamh Rolston and Peyton Stewart as girls. While they all were over the age of 18, the Graphic chose to use the term girls because “our girls” is how the community has lovingly referred to them.
Although two years have passed, their presence lingers in the hearts of the Malibu community forever.
Friday, Oct. 17 marked the two year anniversary of the crash that took the lives of Asha Weir, Deslyn Williams, Niamh Rolston and Peyton Stewart. Through the celebration of their lives and the simultaneous heartache of grief, the Malibu community came together to honor these four girls.
Alumna Bridget Thompson (’24) was the best friend and roommate of the four girls and has stepped into a role of advocacy, speaking out for solutions to fix Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and bring her best friends the justice she said they deserve.
“This fight is not over,” Thompson said. “As long as I’m alive it will not end because the stakes are too high and the lives we lost matter way too much, and because I refuse to let their names fade.”
Flowers for Our Four Lights
Pepperdine Panhellenic created a space for reflection, prayer and remembrance. They provided flowers and notecards outside of Stauffer Chapel to place on each light post on the Four Lights Memorial, each representative of one of the girls.
The sun shining on the four light posts at the Four Lights Memorial on Oct. 17. Each post has a plaque displaying the girls’ names and the lights were covered in cards and flowers by the time the event was over.
Sophia Sullivan, Fraternity and Sorority Life coordinator, said this event was an opportunity for students to take a moment to stop and reflect on the beauty and impact the four girls had on Pepperdine.
Sullivan said this also gives new students who didn’t get the opportunity to know the girls, a chance to learn their legacies.
“Although they might not have been here it’s important to know how deeply these girls affected Pepperdine and reflect on how they may have shaped their college experience without even knowing it,” Sullivan said.
A student picking a flower out of the buckets of flowers outside of Stauffer Chapel on Oct. 17. Students could come by and take as many flowers as they wanted to place by the light posts.
Press Conference and Remembrance Ceremony
The City of Malibu put on a press conference and remembrance ceremony to remember the four girls, as well as address updates for the continued effort to create a safer PCH.
Speakers like Thompson, state Sen. Ben Allen, Lee Harbor from Caltrans, a representative for LA County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, Captain Jared Perry from the California Highway Patrol, West Valley area, Captain Dustin Carr Lost Hills Sheriff’s Department, Councilmember Doug Stewart, Michel Shane, founder of the Emily Shane Foundation and Niamh’s father David Rolston, shared insights, safety plans and commentary surrounding the necessity for enforced safety standards that ultimately caused the premature deaths of the four girls.
After the press ceremony, Alpha Phi members, friends, family members, community members and Pepperdine students gathers at the Ghost Tire Memorial to remember the four girls.
The ceremony started with a moment of silence for attendees to pray, reflect or sit and remember our four girls.
Attendees bow their heads during the moment of silence Oct 17. The sun was shining and the sky was clear for the entirety of the day, which Thompson said was a sign from the girls.
A solo was sung by sophomore Skyla Woodward and senior Alima Ovali played guitar to set the tone for the ceremony.
Senior Alima Ovali (left) and sophomore Skyla Woodward (right) performs at the Ghost Tires Memorial on Oct. 17. They sang “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen.
Four white doves were then brought out and released to represent each of the four girls.
Alumna Bridget Thompson (‘24) lets go of one of the white doves. Thompson said Peyton Stewart was represented by this dove.
Thompson started off the memorial with remarks surrounding the life she lived as the roommate, best friend and sorority sister of the four women.
“They were the kind of friends that made ordinary days feel magical,” Thompson said. “They lit up every room they walked into and the love they gave to me and the love they gave to all of us is what keeps me standing here today.”
Alumna Bridget Thompson (‘24) speaks about her four best friends at their memorial service Oct. 17. Thompson runs an Instagram account advocating for the pursuit of justice for the four girls.
David Rolston shared stories about each of the girls, given to him by their mothers, fathers or best friends. He ended with talking about how Niamh was and remains the center of his world.
“I miss your beautiful face and your smile that could light up the darkest day,” David Rolston said. “I miss the future you never got to have, the loss of your potential and the pure goodness of you that so many people will never experience.”
With a room full of muffled sobs, David Rolston continued with one last thought.
“I hope that as you think of them and see these beautiful young people standing here amongst you,” David Rolston said. “That you will refuse inaction and compromise and demand that real and measurable changes to Pacific Coast Highway are implemented.”
Parents of Niamh Rolston stand and speak at the remembrance ceremony Oct. 17. They displayed pictures of each of the girls surrounding the speaker.
The floor became open to anyone in the crowd to share their regards to the girls, funny memories with them or to anyone who wanted to grieve openly with their community.
Sofia Debelles, Niamh’s closest childhood friend came on and shared how her and Niamh grew up side by side.
“As I continue to live, I hope that she knows how much warmth and love and strength that she will always bring me,” Debelles said.
After the rest of the friends who came and spoke, attendees gathered in embrace and dropped flowers off at each of the girls’ tires.
Three Alpha Phi members prepare to drop their flowers off at the tires Oct. 17. All of the tires were also covered in flowers by the end of the day.
Madison Mcloughlin, Alpha Phi chapter President, said the event meant a lot to Alpha Phi in regards to remembering the women who brought so much to the chapter.
“They were everything good about Alpha Phi,” Mcloughlin said. “Honoring them and remembering them to me means being able to keep their names alive through Alpha Phi and through our sisterhood that meant so much to each and every one of them.”
Alpha Phi President Maddison Mcloughlin places flowers on Deslyn’s tire Oct. 17. Mcloughlin said they girls embodied everything Alpha Phi stands for.
The crowd stands as the speakers present their stories and remarks about our four girls Oct. 17. Mcloughlin said Alpha Phi came together to remember the girls.
Attendees embrace during the moment of silence Oct. 17. Thompson said she was wearing Peyton’s perfume in remembrance of her.
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Contact Haylie Ross via email: haylie.ross@pepperdine.edu
