The life of a talented young photojournalist and UCLA alumna was tragically cut short last week. Bridget O’Brien, 26, died when she swerved to avoid a deer on a highway near Cleveland.
O’Brien, who graduated in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in geography, was driving with her husband of six months, Hayden Sweeney, and his band, Electric Jellyfish.
Sweeney was killed in the crash as well. Two other band members were seriously injured, and another suffered minor injuries.
O’Brien worked for the Daily Bruin from 2000 until her graduation. Co-workers at The Bruin remember her as a person who lit up the whole office.
“She’s the type of person who, when she walked in the room, made everyone in the room happier,” said Kelly Rayburn, former editor in chief of The Bruin, who graduated in 2004.
Rayburn said O’Brien was among the most talented people he has worked with. In her time at the newspaper, she worked for Photo, edited for the Copy desk, and wrote stories for News.
“Her photos are remarkable; they speak for themselves. I don’t know a better photojournalist,” Rayburn said.
Cuauhtemoc Ortega, the editor in chief of The Bruin from 2002-2003, said O’Brien’s sparkling personality had an effect on the entire office.
“She was always the energy behind The Bruin when the morale was low,” Ortega said.
O’Brien became Photo editor of The Bruin in a difficult year, 2001-2002, when the Sept. 11 attacks occurred. Timothy Kudo, the editor in chief from that year, said her support was invaluable.
“She was the one that kept everything together. People were going through a lot that year. She was the one person who stayed and kept people grounded,” Kudo said.
O’Brien was with Electric Jellyfish for their first U.S. tour. The band had high hopes for its outcome.
“They were hoping to get signed after the tour,” said Anthony Lias, brother of injured drummer Patrick Lias, to news.com.au, an Australian online newspaper.
The band was driving from a show in Detroit to their next performance, scheduled for Oct. 19 in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Officers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed that two people had died in the crash, and all of the victims were wearing their seat belts.
In O’Brien’s prolific career with The Bruin, she was voted “Most Valuable Staff Member” for both the 2000-2001 and the 2001-2002 school years.
O’Brien’s leadership and active participation were tantamount to the success of The Bruin while she worked there, said Mari Nicholson, who worked with her at the Daily Bruin.
“She is an incredible leader. She had a hand in so many things that happened at The Bruin in four years ““ so many stories, so many successes,” said Nicholson.
Sarah Wagner, who also worked with O’Brien, said she remembers her as a role model.
“She was … an inspiration to take yourself less seriously,” Wagner said.
O’Brien traveled the world, her camera always ready to capture the people, beauty and culture around her. She spent six months abroad in ValparaÃso, Chile.
After graduating, she covered coffee growers and fair trade in Nicaragua. She went on to live and photograph in New York City, Washington, D.C., Paris and Melbourne, Australia.
While still at The Bruin, O’Brien photographed Sept. 11 memorial events and protests at the Democratic National Convention and covered events spanning campus athletics to a simulated LEGO lunar landing.
Michael Ross Wacht, who met O’Brien when she first worked at The Bruin, said her caring personality made her a great photographer.
“She really cared about her subjects. To me, that made her an excellent journalist. (Her death) was a loss to the (photojournalism) community,” Wacht said.
Amy Emmert, Student Media adviser, was just starting her position at The Bruin when O’Brien was working in the office. She said the flood of memories and stories about her is a testament to her influence on others.
“The fact that she was so loved and so many people remember her ““ it says so much about the love she gave to everyone,” Emmert said.
Friends and past co-workers have set up a Web site in her memory ““ www.rememberingbridget.com.
Rayburn said everyone is shocked by her death.
“Nobody who knew her thought this would ever happen to Bridget. I just thought she was unstoppable, her spirit was unbreakable and that she would go on journey after journey and emerge unscathed and ready for the next adventure.”
A memorial service for O’Brien and Sweeney will be held Monday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. at Mt. Vernon Mortuary, 8201 Greenback Lane in Fair Oaks. Visitation will be Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., also at Mt. Vernon Mortuary.