For Brantley Elementary School principal Melissa Milligan, Wednesday was a first she had hoped would never happen and now, she prays, there’s never a second to come around again.

Wednesday, while attending a meeting, Milligan was informed by members of her facutly, that one of their students, 8-year-old Alexis Jewel Nichols, had been killed in a tragic car wreck.

“She was so energetic. She was one of the most bubbly children you could ever have met,” Milligan said, noting this is the first time she has had to deal with the loss of one of her students.

Nichols was a third grader at Brantley Elementary and a member of Glenda Walker’s third grade class.

The Dallas County School System provided school administrations access to a number of counselors who spent time with students about the loss of one of their classmates.

“We have one counselor at the school, but the main office sent a few others over to help out,” Milligan said.

She said members of Nichols’ class are discussing ways to honor the memory of their lost classmate.

“We’re letting them work out what they want to do,” Nichols said. “We’re not sure just yet what that will be.”

Nichols was killed when the car she was riding in, along with her mother, Bridgette Ann Nichols, and 5-year-old brother, Jason C. Nichols, left the roadway and rolled over. Nichols, who investigators said was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, was ejected from the car.

The Dallas County Coroner pronounced her dead on the scene.

Her brother, who was also not wearing a seat belt, was seriously injured and transported to Vaughan Regional Medical Center. Alabama State Troopers said the injuries did not appear to be life threatening at the time.

The accident occurred before 8 p.m. Wednesday on Alabama Highway 14 near the Perry County line.

A memorial service will be held Friday at 5 p.m. at Crosspoint Christian Church with Rev. Alan Yarbrough and Rev. David Nichols officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the family at P.O. Box 285, Bon Secour, AL  36511.