School reeling after death of senior Bierke remembered as kind, outgoing By Steve Arveson News-Chronicle Somber overtones and heavy hearts filled the gymnasium of Denmark High School on Friday night just as they had filled the classrooms in the days prior. Before Friday's girls' basketball game, the public address announcer asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of senior Brina Bierke, who was killed in a two-car accident last Wednesday. The alcove on the north end of the gymnasium, where the cheer team usually performs stood empty. The team, of which Bierke was the captain, had not been scheduled to perform that night, a welcome coincidence for team members who used the time to reflect and mourn for their captain. Bierke, 18, was killed when the northbound car she was riding in crossed the center line and hit another automobile on County R, in the town of Ledgeview. The accident happened at about 4:45 p.m., just north of County NN. Weather and speeds too fast for conditions led to the accident, Brown County Sheriff's Department officials said. Stacy Salzsieder, 18, also a DHS senior and driver of the car Bierke was in, suffered severe injuries in the crash. Frank Saldana, 42 of Denmark, was driving the other vehicle and also suffered severe injuries. Salzsieder's father, David, said Stacy was hopefully coming out of the intensive care unit this week. He said he believes both girls were wearing seatbelts, contrary to sheriff's department reports. Salzsieder said he is grateful for all the support shown by the Denmark-area community. The condition of Saldana was not known at press time. Bierke was an active student at Denmark. In addition to being cheer team captain, she was a member of the chorus, art club, school musicals, FFA and FBLA. "Brina was an incredibly popular young lady and the emotional outpouring from the students and the staff was pretty traumatic," Steve Pasano, pupil services director for the district and administrator for the district's crisis plan said. "There were many, many tears from the students, and the staff was the same way." DHS cheer team advisor Lori Knoflicek said "Brina was not only the backbone of the team and team captain but most importantly she was our friend. Brina was a special young lady with many talents. She always had a smile on her face and a kind word to say. She lived life to the fullest and every one of us on the cheerleading squad are blessed to have know her." Cheer team member Junior Andrea Klika remembers singing with Bierke on a ride to a recent athletic event. "She was the leader of our squad. She knew everything there is about cheerleading and taught us all there was to know. You could come in the worst mood but she'd put a smile on your face by the time you left," Klika said. "If she was upset, she left it behind her and came to practice with a smile on her face. She was the best we had. We miss her." "She was an angel to everyone," sophomore Jenny Leiterman said. "She never had any enemies. She was like my big sister and I'm really going to miss her. She's my guardian angel now." "One of the latest memories that was the best was this year when we went to camp and we ate macaroni right out of the pot," said Amanda Fruzen, Bierke's roommate at camp. "It was a fun time. Usually you don't do any cooking at camp. Brina was just a wonderful person to be around." "Brina was the most genuine person I have ever met," junior Danielle Drewiske said. "She never got mad, she was always smiling and she is, was and always will be the best cheerleader I have ever met." "She never yelled at anyone. If someone was doing something wrong, she'd always try to say it in a nice way. She never got upset," added freshman Jessica Davis. "Even when we got booed at our games, she brought the best out of the people who booed us." The Denmark district had extra counselors on hand last Thursday morning, to help both students and staff deal with the loss. "The staff's reaction at 7:30 that morning was much like you would suspect, they were decimated," Pasano said. "They were highly emotional and found it difficult to believe that Brina was no longer with us." The De Pere school district sent four of its grief counselors to help in Denmark and retired Denmark guidance counselor Ruth Wiersma returned to help console the friends of Bierke. "Our planning was well worth while because we needed every single one of them," Pasano said. The administration later gathered the entire senior class to explain the facts of the situation and allow them to grieve as a group, Pasano said. In addition, a letter was sent to every high school parent with information on how to cope with the death of a high school student. A memorial fund is being established in Bierke's name.