Actress dies during megachurch Nativity performance

[DainBramaged]

A spokeswoman at a Cincinnati megachurch says a Christmas pageant actor who fell about 25 feet during the show’s opening night performance has died.
Crossroads Community Church says 23-year-old Keri Shryock died this morning at University Hospital. A church spokeswoman says Shryock was a graduate student at Xavier University.

Shryock was playing the role of a wise man in a contemporary Nativity story and was suspended by an overhead cable when she fell Wednesday night. A spokeswoman for the church says it’s not clear how the accident happened.


The church says it has canceled the 10 remaining performance of the Christmas show.
http://www.freep.com/article/20081218/NEWS07/81218043/?imw=Y


http://www.crossroads.net/

Keri Shryock, 23, a member of the Crossroads community, Xavier University student and cast member from the Awaited Christmas show, passed away this morning after a fall during last night’s performance. All remaining Awaited show performances have been cancelled out of respect for all involved, and to help facilitate the grieving and recovery process.

After prayerful consideration together with Keri’s parents today, we’ve made a decision about services at Crossroads between now and Christmas. Four special services this weekend—4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday—will be focused on helping to process this loss in our community in a more traditional weekend format. Services will be held at Crossroads Oakley only (3500 Madison Road, Cincinnati, 45209), and free childcare will be provided for kids from birth through fourth grade.

Ms. Shryock’s parents have encouraged us to continue with a Christmas experience, so that people would be able to hear the message of Jesus, as they believe would have been Keri’s desire.

According to Keri’s parents: “We support and encourage a Christmas program to continue, because that’s the way Keri would have wanted it.”

In accordance with the family’s wishes, we’ll have two Christmas Eve services featuring traditional Christmas music and a retelling of the Nativity story at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Dec. 24 at Crossroads Oakley only. Parents are welcome to bring their children into this family-friendly service, as no childcare will be provided.


Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends because that's the way Keri would have wanted it.


I don't think Keri is in any position to speak for herself nor are her parents.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. That is terribly sad :^(

[Arugula Latte]

2. Terrifying way to die.

She was so young. :(

[Danger Mouse]

3. ...this feels wrong somehow...

[pokerfan]

4. wise men are supposed to fly?

But yeah, that pretty much sucks.

[LisaL]

7. I don't think wise men are supposed to fly.

[HopeFor2006]

5. It will be a terribly sad and painful Christmas for her parents.

[rcrush]

6. Why was the wisemen flying?

I dont see why they would need someone to hang from the ceiling to be a wiseman. Lawsuit.