Katherine Burgess

Jackson Sun

Christian Hubble said he still sends text messages and Snapchats to Elia Marie Hernandez, hoping she will reply.

It’s hard to believe that she isn’t coming back, Hubble said.

“She never ceased to put a smile on someone’s face,” Hubble said. “If you ever saw her, she had a smile on hers. She was just so full of joy.”

Hernandez, 17, was killed by a stray bullet after a fight broke out at a party in Haywood County early Sunday morning. The Haywood County Sheriff’s Department said she had been hiding in the house when Quin Love, 18, began shooting outside.

Love has been charged with first-degree murder, criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder and felony reckless endangerment. Two others were shot and one man was beaten at the party, but all have been released from the hospital.

Hubble, 18, said he wonders how things could have been different for his friend, who he dated for about seven months in 2014-15.

“She wants us all to be happy,” Hubble said. “She knows it’s OK for us to mourn, but she wants us to be strong.”

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The two met when Hernandez started at Crockett County High School. A few years later, Hubble flicked her hair at a basketball game, and she texted asking if it had been him. The two became close friends, and remained friends after they stopped dating.

Hubble remembers Hernandez as someone who loved watching shows on Netflix, liked “to try to cook,” had three dogs and enjoyed cleaning. She loved sea turtles, worked three jobs and had plans to earn an associate’s degree in nursing from Jackson State Community College before seeking a bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Memphis.

Hernandez is survived by her parents, Angel Hernandez and Carmen Santiago Hernandez. She is also survived by a younger brother, two older stepbrothers and an older stepsister, according to her obituary.

Hubble said he plans to be there for her younger brother, who often joined the two of them on trips for ice cream or to the lake.

He spent much of Monday with members of Hernandez’ family, who are devastated, he said.

“They’re really hurt, but they have a lot of faith and they know they have a lot of people who are willing to do anything,” Hubble said.

Earlier Monday, Hubble looked around Hernandez’ now vacant room. In it he saw a toy sea turtle he brought back for her from Aruba, and a large birthday hat with a dog on it that had doubled as a card.

Although she had laughed, Hernandez had willingly worn the hat for photos on her 17th birthday. She would have turned 18 on July 8.

Hubble saw Hernandez for a few moments at the party early Sunday morning. He had stopped in to give a friend a ride home, but left about 20 minutes before the shooting started.

When he heard that Hernandez was hurt, he rushed back to the party, then headed to her house, where he found her father. Then he drove toward Memphis, assuming she had gone to Regional One Health, turning around after learning she had gone to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.

He had just arrived when Hernandez’ father called and said she had not made it, Hubble said.

Now, he wonders what would have happened if he had stayed at the party for 20 minutes longer.

“Though it could have been me, I would gladly have traded spots with her,” Hubble said. “She was so innocent. She didn’t deserve that.”

If Hernandez had woken up in the hospital bed, Hubble had planned to tell her she had been a “tough little soldier.”

She probably would have laughed at him, Hubble said.

“I didn’t get to say that, but she’s not hurting now,” Hubble said. “She’s having a great time up there. It’s OK to grieve, she knows that, she totally knows that’s normal, but she does want us to stick together. … She just wants us to be happy.”

Reach Katherine at (731) 425-9748. Follow her on Twitter @kathsburgess.

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