Amy Catherine Rebman, graduate communications student, died at the age of 22 on Feb. 8.
A tragic car accident in Burbank claimed her life last week. She was born on April 24, 1983. Rebman left behind her parents, Brian and Denise; her sister, Sara; her grandparents, Bruce Rebman and Muriel Granier; along with many other family and friends.
“She’s an intense person,” said Karen Peck, a communications studies professor. “She was always smiling, always thinking. Dynamic is the way to describe her. She always wanted to be a part of everything.”
Rebman worked as a teacher’s assistant in the Communications Studies Department and also taught public speaking courses. Her class will now be taken over by a part-time faculty member.
One of Rebman’s fellow TAs, Mia Briceno, recently moved to (Southern) California from Pittsburgh. She grew close to Rebman and spent the most time with her in the office.
A tearful Briceno spoke highly of Rebman.
“She was a big part of my adapting here,” Briceno said. “I don’t have any family here.”
Briceno received the tragic news of Rebman’s accident first from the Communications Studies Department.
Usually, Rebman was in the office before Briceno, but the Monday morning after Superbowl Sunday, Briceno arrived to find that she was not in.
She said she got a phone call soon after informing her that Rebman was in a car accident on Sunday night and was in the hospital.
“I was a little shaky,” she said. “I knew it wasn’t good. It was so shocking.”
During her time in the Communications Studies Department, Rebman made an impression on those around her that will last forever.
“She was bright, not just intellectually” Briceno said. “She had a brightness about her.”
She was the super organizer, and a perfectionist. She was just a good person to be around, she added.
“She was someone that rubbed off on you,” said Roxanne Banuelos, another TA in the department. She was passionate about a lot of things. She really cared about her students. She tried to make everyone feel good. Even when she was mad, she would be bubbly cute.”
She said many shades of pink could describe Rebman.
“Pink was Amy,” Banuelos said. “Pink represents freshness, happiness. She was every shade of pink.”
Adam Nickerson, fourth-year urban studies major, recalled Rebman’s friendly nature when she passed him in the office.
“She always stopped to talk to me. She never came in without saying, ‘hi,'” Nickerson said. “She was very cool.”
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Amy’s memory to John Burroughs High School. Amy Rebman Scholarship, 1920 W. Clark Ave., Burbank, CA 91506. Donations may also be made to the Communication for Youth Institute (CYI) at the Communications Department in Manzanita Hall, Room 220.
The funeral mass begins at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, 133 N. Fifth St., Burbank, CA 91501. Interment will be private.
“Although, she’s gone, I feel good talking about her,” Banuelos said. “She is just a spirit that’s going to be around. No one will forget her.”
Taline Helwajian can be reached at Thm70066@csun.edu.
