On November 25, 2018 the brilliant light of Nora Rose-Hines was extinguished forever. She will never sing again, play the guitar again, help the endless children she taught, save the wild horses nor love her mothers and her twin brother Will.

She died in a horrific traffic collision that could have been prevented, if only the city of Los Angeles had listened and taken action.

Nora was only 19.

For years Nora devoted her spare time to her mother Pat’s organization Safe Moves. She had a passion for making streets safe for children in Los Angeles. This dedication and devotion makes her death on the very roads she tried to improve so shocking.

Nora not only taught children how to safely navigate in and around schools, but she also gave her heart to the children of Guatemala. From the time she was 13 she volunteered at Casa Guatemala, a NGO for impoverished children located in the remote Rio Dulce rainforest. Year after year, these disadvantaged children blossomed, thanks in large part to Nora. She gave them hope and a better life with her singing and guitar, her desire to help and her love.

Nora also had a passion for the wild mustangs at Return to Freedom, a sanctuary on the central coast of California. She had a special bond with these beautiful and unique creatures and gave her all to protect them.

Nora’s desire to make the world a better place fed her and never diminished.

Yet there was still time for her to be a happy, full of life young woman who loved performing and writing songs, deeply loved her family and her friends, and never stopped creating.

“I think her legacy was her kindness, her compassion and her feeling that anything is possible if you just stay true to yourself. I think that’s a pretty remarkable legacy for a young girl of any age especially a girl who is nineteen.”

~Pat Hines, Nora’s mother

Nora was killed at an intersection that was considered dangerous for years, but nothing was done to change it. On November 25, one day after Thanksgiving Nora died making a left turn at Balboa Boulevard and Strathern Street in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. A fix would have been as simple as a “right turn only” sign. After her death, the sign was installed.

It was too late for Nora and her family, but there is much that can be done to help Nora’s legacy continue, and help save lives and improve the quality of life for children everywhere.