‘When you looked at her, you smiled’: Father describes O’Fallon teen who died in crash

If you were around 16-year-old Madeline “Maddie” Best, you were going to smile.

That’s how her father, Kory Best, described his daughter’s personality as he looked back on her life.

Maddie died Friday after a car crashed into a tree along Bowler Road north of O’Fallon, according to the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office. She was among four inside the vehicle and was riding in the back seat. Two were transported to a St. Louis hospital, where Maddie was later pronounced dead.

“You wouldn’t find a person anywhere that was around her that wouldn’t smile,” Best said. “If you were in her presence, at some point you were going to smile. It didn’t matter how bad of a day you had or anything. It was just something about her that when you looked at her, you smiled.

“I think it was just the innocence she had about her.”

Maddie was a junior at O’Fallon Township High School, where she played on the tennis team and served on the student council.

Best said Maddie said goodbye to her mom, Tammy Best, on their driveway of their O’Fallon home just eight minutes before the crash.

Maddie was waiting on their front porch for friends to pick her up. They had planned to go to Fright Fest at Six Flags in Eureka, Missouri. When her friends arrived, Maddie told her mom that she loved her.

“Maddie always ended every sentence with ‘I love you,’” Best said.

Maddie had aspirations to attend Illinois State University and become a teacher, just like her mother who teaches first graders in Belleville. Best said his daughter loved to help her mom out in the classroom when O’Fallon classes were not in session but the Belleville district were.

“She loved being in Tammy’s room when she had a day off,” Best said.

Maddie also served on the student council and decorating the school for events such as homecoming. One of the decorating themes this fall was 1950s diner

“She loved dressing up for homecoming week,” Best said. “She loved spirit week.”

Maddie would wear tu-tus and paint her face. Best said in the past few days Maddie’s friends have shared their videos.

“It’s just heart wrenching to see how much fun she had doing the goofiest things with her friends,” he said.

Care for others

Best said his daughter was concerned about caring for others.

“She was a people pleaser to a crazy extent,” he said. “She thought about people and everyone else being OK before herself.

“If there was something wrong, she would say, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry,’ even if it wasn’t her fault because she wanted everyone to get along and everyone to be happy together.”

Best added that “Maddie would want everyone to smile when they think of her and to know that she’s watching and that she’s laughing and that she’s screaming.”

Maddie was known for her “scream” if you startled or frightened her, Best said.

“She was always the calm, level-headed, innocent kid,” he said. “She loved everyone. She didn’t know a stranger. She would talk to anyone and everyone was important to her. It was important to know that everyone was important to her.”

Outpouring of grief

Administration at O’Fallon High School Monday released a statement saying the school community was “devastated” by the loss of a “forever Panther.” It also pledged support to Maddie’s classmates and other students who may struggle with grief.

The O’Fallon Federation of Teachers also made its condolences public in social media: “The teacher - student relationship is precious. We work everyday in rooms where students touch our lives and fill our hearts with love. As we mourn the loss of one of those loved students, we recognize the entire community is mourning with us. The OFT would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to all in our community as we mourn the loss of our student Madeline Best. May there be peace brought to everyone touched by Maddie, especially her family.”

Other campus organizations expressed condolences on Facebook as well.

O’Fallon Bands wrote: “As the excitement settles, the emotions surface. Last night was difficult on our Marching Panthers as they struggled with the loss of a dear friend. Maddie, you were loved by so many, and will be equally missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Best family during this difficult time.”

O’Fallon Panther Tennis wrote: “Our hearts are broken. Maddie was a beautiful light in this world unfortunately taken too soon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends, and teammates. We will so miss her bright smile, and her contagious, positive energy. She brought so much joy to the people in her life, and we are all better people because of her. In this very difficult time, we will cherish every moment we had with Maddie, and live every moment with her example in mind…with joy, positivity, and kindness. We send the Best Family all of our love and support from their Panther Tennis Family. We love you Maddie.”

Funeral arrangements are pending with the Wolfersberger Funeral Home in O’Fallon.