Young Model Killed in Horrific Accident

Posted Aug 2nd 2006 12:19PM by TMZ Staff

Heather BrattonHeather Bratton was a rising star on the modeling scene.

With just one year of modeling under her belt, Bratton had already landed the cover of Italian Vogue and walked the runways of fashion powerhouses like Gucci and Prada.

But that all came to a tragic end in a fiery crash on July 22.

The 19-year-old was en route to Newark Airport when the hired car she was a passenger in broke down in the center lane of the New Jersey Turnpike.

Bratton's car was rear-ended by an SUV and then struck another vehicle. The car caught on fire and Bratton was trapped inside. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bratton's agency, Women Management, released a statement saying, "Heather was a sweet, gentle and thoughtful girl who achieved a remarkable level of success during her first year modeling, which is a credit to her distinct beauty and spirit."

Filed under: Fashion Police

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1. OMG, this is so horrible. What a tragedy. Nineteen years old and gone. I think it is so sad to die at such a young age.

Posted at 12:34PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by karen

2. sad

Posted at 12:41PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by kat

3. That is so sad. She was so young..

Posted at 12:53PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Ashley

4. That's a horrible way to die. God bless her. :-(

Posted at 12:54PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Jessica

5. Burning to death is an absolutely horrible way to die. My condolences to the family.

Posted at 1:02PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by V35_Pilot

6. Oh my. How horrible,that has got to be the worst way to die-burned alive. I feel for this girl-DAMN. What happend to the driver? Could you imagine being burned alive? DAMN-Poor Girl

Posted at 1:05PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Monique

7. It was so sadshe could accomplish more. My hearts & pray goes to her family. God Bless

Posted at 1:05PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by MARKUS

8. RIP Heather.

Posted at 1:07PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Sarah

9. I am so sorry to hear of such a tragedy and involving someone so young. My sincerest condolences go out to the friends and family.

Posted at 1:16PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Jeffrey Pritz

10. You think THAT'S bad, try being a fellow cast member of the YTV series '15/Love'. Both Schneider and Linetsky were killed in a car accident on September 8, 2003. They were on their way to the set of 15/Love in St Cesiare, Québec when their mini-van lost control and slammed head on into a tractor/trailer. They were both killed instantly. Their death was taken into the storyline, making them the victims of a plane crash rather than an automobile accident.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15/Love

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0377134/

Posted at 1:32PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by JeremyPoteck

11. May god have been with her during that terrible moment. May she rest in the lords hands.

Posted at 1:35PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Katie

12. People are dying every day in Lebanon. Just because she's a model its a big deal?

Posted at 1:49PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by Tanya

13. It doesnt matter if she's a model or a someone in Lebanon, the point is she is a person who died to young.

Posted at 1:53PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by k

14. Are you kidding me Tanya? You are talking about a girl who was trapped inside a burning Town Car and engulfed in flames!!! Yet you have the audacity to compare this to people dying in Lebanon?
I wish people like you were engulfed in flames.

Posted at 1:53PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by pauly d

15. My 11 year old sister was burned in a fire. She lives for 5 weeks. Even after all these years, I can still hear her screams when they came to change her bandages. We werent even allowed to touch her. As horrific as Heathers death was, at least she died immediately and didnt have to go through the horrible pain my sister did only to lose the fight anyway.

Posted at 1:58PM on Aug 2nd 2006 by belynda

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