‘Kind, pure and strong’
Friends remember Ashley Mead as ‘ray of sunshine’
One of Ashley Mead’s closest friends from Warren has done the best job she can of taking the attention off a murder in Colorado, and on to who her friend was as a person.
“I’m trying,” said Amelia Perry. “I hoped that taking on as much media as I could would shield (Ashley’s mom) from it a bit.”
According to FOX 31 News in Denver, Mead, 25, was likely murdered last weekend. Her ex-boyfriend and the father of her child, Adam Densmore, has been charged with first-degree murder.
Mead is a 2010 graduate of Sheffield Area High School, and, “she was born and raised here, her family has lived here forever from what I know,” said Amelia.
“She would have wanted me to tell her story and keep spreading the good vibes,” she said.
Mead and her 1-year-old daughter, Winter Mead, were reported missing last Tuesday in Boulder, Colo., after Ashley did not show up for work.
The next day, Winter was found with Densmore, who is the girl’s father, in Okmulgee, Okla., about 40 miles south of Tulsa. Winter Mead was unharmed and placed into Child Protective Services.
Ashley Mead was still missing, but police found partial human remains and tentatively identified Ashley. On Thursday, Densmore was arrested for her murder.
“My brain is sort of mush right now,” said Amelia. “But when people ask me things, all the memories come back and it comes easy to me.
“We ran around with the same crowd, we met and became instant friends,” said Amelia, a Warren Area High School graduate. “My husband, Ashley and myself formed the strongest bond. She wasn’t my best friend — that doesn’t cover it. She was our soulmate. Or ‘road dog,’ that’s what we call each other.
“I think we met at a festival; maybe at one of the woods parties we used to go to,” said Amelia. “It’s hard to remember almost 10 years ago. (But) the charisma is what I remember, Ashleixgh (Facebook spelling) had something about her, you were just drawn to it. She was so bright, and so open, always laughing and telling ridiculous stories. But it didn’t matter how outlandish they sounded, you were hooked on every word. She was amazing. The woman almost had me convinced one day that her dog was at one point a contestant on American Idol. There was just something about her that instantly made you feel peace when she was around. I went to her for everything. She was young to me, but she was wiser. She held my deepest darkest secrets, along with for a lot of other people I’m sure. Because it just seemed to roll out around her. She was so unconditional.
“So our friendship… Before we both had kids, and especially before she did, we were all three so all over the place trying to figure out who we were and what we wanted out of life,” added Amelia. “She was always traveling, adventuring, but she always made time to stop and reach out to her friends, sent gifts, called, texted — I have so many cool things that she sent me throughout her travels. She had a way of somehow knowing you were in need of a pick-me-up before you did, and she always made sure it was there waiting for you in the mailbox. Tapestries, ‘drug rugs’ from Mexico, crystals from out west, random dried herbs and flowers. She was so special. And no matter how long she had been gone, or where Rich and I had moved to, she would always show up, usually unannounced, basically kick in the door and it was suddenly a party. As soon as everyone knew she was in town, where ever she was was the place to be. We spent so many nights just sitting around laughing, listening to her talk.
“After Rich and I got married,” Amelia continued, “and became parents, our friendship we had going really intensified; we talked every day about everything. She kept me grounded when my life felt so out of control, even from all the way across the country. If it weren’t for that girl, I can honestly say my marriage might not have survived. She was our go-between, or therapist. She was drawn to broken souls. She was a healer. All she wanted in life was for everyone to know peace and be shown love. We all say we want that, too, but she lived by it.
“All of this is happening and I get so overwhelmed; she was the one I would be asking for guidance right now, so I still do,” said Amelia. “I swear if I sit still enough and let myself find center, I can hear her voice and smell her Patchouli. I swear she bathed in it — you could smell her before she got there and you knew she had been there after she left. It was one of my favorite things about her; I always used to tell her she was my favorite dirty hippie girl.”
Amelia started a GoFundMe account at https://www.gofundme.com/ashley-winter-mead to benefit Ashley and Winter. She also pointed out friends have started benefits to help raise funds.
Amelia said the priority is to help baby Winter and Ashley’s family.
“Every time she came home to visit, she would basically home base out of our house,” said Amelia. “I’m so thankful my kids and I had a chance to see her with Winter and form a memory of them both. They keep seeing her pictures everywhere, but thankfully all they know is ‘Mom, that’s Aunt Ashley! And baby Winter!’
“She loved everything about the earth, she was so connected to it,” said Amelia. “The summers were the best; we had houses but we were never there. I’m the introvert, but she and Rich always managed to get me outside in the woods, running around barefoot like crazy people. I never wanted to go, but after I did I never ended up regretting it. I can still hear her, ‘Debbie Downer, you’re gonna need to to stop killing my vibe right now and get your toockas in the car, it’s time to go hard…
“And that car is a bright yellow mint condition vintage VW Beetle,” said Amelia. “Because, of course, that’s what she drove.
“This is gonna sound dumb, but that girl was seriously a unicorn,” said Amelia. “That’s how I’ve always described her, it’s the only word that fits. One of a kind, pure, and strong. I don’t know if you have seen Harry Potter, but it was her favorite, and when you kill a unicorn in the magic world, you then live a cursed life. That thought gives me a little peace of mind. I think she would appreciate the connection.”
Amelia’s husband Rich called Ashley a “ray of sunshine.
“She was the most intelligent person, wise way beyond her years,” said Rich. “There are no words to describe just how great she was and how much she means to me. My heart is broken. I just don’t know how anyone could hurt the most gentle soul I’ve ever met. Ashley has touched so many people all across the country; she’s been everywhere doing nothing but spreading love and positive vibes.”
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