Kelly Benedict:  

If you have arrived here by looking for Tami Banta, in a way you found her. I am Tami's younger sister, some of you may have met me, I was the terror underfoot who she was so patient with. My sister went to Foothill for all four years of high school, made many a friend, was stat girl for the Wrestling team, straight A student, spoke French fluently and even wen to Dublin High to continue on with her learning of the French language. She went to all the football games, helped with events, and an overall sweet and genuine person and the best sister a girl could ask for. I mean she did have to put up with me and my bad behavior, like chasing her with bees when I knew she was scared of them, I'll leave it at that. She graduated and was accepted to San Jose State, planned on majoring in Mental Health for Mentally Disabled Children, lover of animals, liked to draw and taught me, and would paint on rocks then mount them on copper and string them. I am sure some of her friends might still have these treasures. She was working at Gay 90s Pizza, one night on the way to work she was in a fatal car crash on Foothill Road, she was pronounced DOA. I was 10 at the time, I am 44 now, and I still miss her. Her accident happened right next to the Upshaw's house, Mr. Upshaw was on the Oakland Raiders, Tami babysat their son. Mrs. Upshaw heard the crash, her car had gone down in an embankment and straight into a Oak tree, which that road is famous for. Her steering wheel crushed her due to wearing her seat-belt, which was not a law at the time, but goes to show you what a careful driver she was, some of you may remember the write up. Mrs. Upshaw came to our house and left us a note to come home to find asking us to call her, part of me died that night. Just to let you all know in case you heard another story, the crash was an ACCIDENT! There were no eye witnesses, yet some woman,who claimed my sister was playing chicken with another car. If you knew Tami at all, even a little bit, you know this is a false statement. Though we do believe someone was in the area and never came forward, her class ring went missing that day, she never took it off, it was not on her, or in the car, or in any of her belongings, the hand that always wore that ring was partially out the window of her car. Mrs. Upshaw loved Tami, and once she saw it was her and what had happened she immediately called the police, there are several gaps where my sister was alone, but was unconscious the whole time, I hope one day someone will come forward with info, her name is engraved on that ring, my Mom tore the car apart looking for it, we searched the area for hours, day after day, that tree will be forever marked. A tree was planted on the Foothill campus a...Expand for more