California Memorial Celebration for Briana Blackwelder May 6

Family and friends will gather for a memorial service for Briana Blackwelder, 28, at 11 a.m. Friday, May 6—on what would have been her 29th birthday—at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Laguna Niguel California Stake Center at 22851, Aliso Creek Rd.

Blackwelder died April 23 in a on a Utah highway. She was a passenger in a car driven by her brother, Ian, 19. He survived the crash and was hospitalized. 

The two siblings were reportedly traveling to their hometown of Laguna Niguel when their Ford Explorer crossed the median and flipped over. The accident is still being investigated, officials say.

A memorial service was held April 27 in Utah, where Blackwelder had lived and worked as a midwife since 2008 at Fern Midwifery. She was a graduate of BYU and the Midwives College of Utah.

Her longtime friend, mentor and fellow midwife, Cathy Larson, 54, said Blackwelder had become "more of a sister" to her over the six years they knew each another.

"I would always joke with her and say she had an old soul," Larson said from Salt Lake City. "She was my best friend, and she absolutely loved what she did. She did it with such confidence, and she was strong, focused. From the moment I met her, I was so struck by her confidence as a midwife, and she was only in her early 20s."

Larson met Blackwelder in 2006 at a certification course, and they quickly became friends. Blackwelder later apprenticed with Larson, then went on to Texas and Arizona to work as a midwife.

"After her graduation, we become professionally connected," she said. "We traveled together and did everything together—funny, because I have kids her age."

Larson was also friendly with the Blackwelder family and said that they are "doing OK. They miss her, and she was the light in their lives, but there was nothing that was unfinished."

Living Each Day

The two women lived every day immersed in their roles as midwives and enjoying their friendship.

"We knew were were blessed with all of the experiences we were doing. ... We didn't know how long we would have it. We were in the moment and grateful."

One of the things they dreamed about was working in Third World countries—together.

The two women had planned on going to Senegal, in Africa, in November on a mission to work with other midwives. But fate stepped in.

"We just worked on the grant last week, and we were so excited," said Larson, who recently returned from Africa after a week's worth of missionary work. "I was really looking forward to going back with Bri."

Larson said Blackwelder did some of her own missionary work with birth attendants in rural Guatemala in early 2011 for a week.

"The women were apprehensive when she first arrived, but, she told me, after a week, they were trusting her," Larson said. "Her passion was that all women should receive respectful care no matter where they are."

Blackwelder told Larson that the minute they walked into the room "she cried because they were so beautiful and saw that she was not judging them."

Larson said her friend was always happy and looking on the bright side.

"Briana had a bumper sticker on her car that read 'co-exist,' " Larson said. "It wasn't some hippie or trendy thing ... it was just who she was: patient, passionate and tolerant."