jamisunlee

Track star, fianc killed by wreck days before nuptials
By Shannon Conner
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 07.01.2006
advertisementShe was the senior-class president and a track star. He was a hard-edged musician.
Samuel Zawada and Valerie McGregor met at a Mountain View High School talent show more than three years ago.
Soon after, he had to get his wisdom teeth out and she brought him a pint of ice cream. He began to soften, and their romance began.
The pair was killed Thursday by a single-vehicle rollover accident on Interstate 25 near Las Vegas, N.M., nine days before they were to be married in Tucson. Valerie was 21, Samuel 23.
Family and friends remembered the two as "so in love, mushy and spiritual."
"Valerie found her soulmate in Sam," Valerie's fraternal twin sister, Emily McGregor, said. "She was such an inspiration, enjoying life to the fullest. And Sam loved to make people laugh. He was so fun, cracking jokes and loving his music."
As they traveled to Arizona from their home in Arvada, Colo., on Thursday morning, their 2003 Toyota Tacoma drifted onto the shoulder, New Mexico State Police Lt. Jimmy Glascock said. Valerie overcorrected and lost control of the vehicle as it rolled, Glascock said.
Valerie died at the scene and Samuel died at St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, Glascock said.
The Mountain View High graduates had a week of final wedding preparations planned, including a wedding shower scheduled for Sunday.
"This whole next week was going to be fun," said Valerie's grandmother, Elizabeth Piorkowski. "She was so high-spirited. She always brought sunshine into my home both girls did."
Valerie channeled much of that energy into running. The 2003 graduate won the Class 4A state cross-country championship in 2002.
The twins traded region championships in cross country and track. Always running together, Valerie was the one with the Kleenex in her hand for her runny nose.
"They were the two blond girls that you would see running through Northwest Tucson 24/7," Mountain View athletic director Susan Sloan said.
Valerie and Emily began as schoolgirls, going to the park with their dad, Lyle, and racing.
"From middle school on, we did everything together: ran, did homework, eat dinner, watch TV, everything," Emily said.
They went to Colorado State together to run. After a year, Emily moved back to Tucson and now runs for the University of Arizona. "I always had a best friend with me. Then I had to learn to make friends all over again," she said.
They talked every day gabbing about boys and running injuries and later about their mother, Judy, who had breast cancer.
Judy, a former Tucson Police Department officer, died in April 2005.
"Samuel and Valerie really wanted my mom's blessing," Emily said. The couple flew to visit in early 2005. Samuel had proposed during a layover in the Las Vegas airport. "My mom's eyes just lit up," she said.
Samuel's mom, Ann, was also pleased with the union. Ann Zawada knew her son was going to marry Valerie.
"She was so loving and perky and kind and she softened him," Ann said. "He was very, very picky, and she was everything he wanted."
Samuel moved to Colorado to be closer to Valerie. In May, he earned a music degree from the University of Colorado at Denver.
On June 22, he wrote on his blog on Xanga.com: "Guess what, two weeks from Saturday I'll be getting hitched! This is very cool news. I'm staying tan and trying to look my best for the wedding forthcoming."
The former drama student could be a ham at times and Valerie just let him do it, Ann said.
"He could be very sarcastic and cynical and you could just see him change around her."
He had gone into business for himself, teaching guitar. As Valerie worked at a Denver hospital this summer, Samuel made dinner for her in the new home they bought in May.
"I thought that was very caring," Ann said. "They were just really mushy-gushy together and maybe God needed them up there."
Their double funeral will be held in the church where they were to be married.