THE mum of a teenager who died nine days after a horrific road smash yesterday spoke of her family’s heartache on the anniversary of her death.

Jessica Ward, 19, was left in a coma after the car she was a front seat passenger in crashed on an unclassified road between Pistyll and Waen Fawr, Nercwys.

The driver of the car, an 18-year-old woman who was never named, escaped from the Renault Clio with slight injuries after the single-car smash on January 6 last year.

But Jessica, of Llys y Fron, Mold, lost her battle for life in Liverpool’s Walton neurological centre on January 15.

Now one year on, her close-knit family are still desperate to know exactly what happened.

An inquest couldn’t find any independent evidence to explain what caused the crash.

Her mum Alison said: “It’s been very hard since Jesse died. I don’t think we will ever know what happened.

“She was a very kind-hearted person. We’re not blaming anyone, we just want to know what happened.”

Alison said adjusting to life after Jessica died has been virtually impossible for the family, and she he is in their thoughts daily.

“We have to keep on smiling, that’s what we try to do,” said Alison. “That’s what Jesse would want us to do.”

Alison paid tribute to everyone who had supported the family over the last 12 months.

The £1,300 collected at Jessica’s funeral was donated to the Walton Centre, where she was treated.

The fun-loving teenager, who worked at the Max Spielmann photographic shop in Mold, was passionate about cats.

Friends held a special party on her birthday at which they raised £60 for her favourite charity, the Cats Protection League.

They also gathered to remember Jesse yesterday on the first anniversary of her death.

And in a very special tribute, her sister Sarah has named her daughter after Jessica.

Alison, who runs the Elysium gift shop in Wrexham Street, Mold, added: “Jesse was so full of life and laughter and will always be missed.

“She could brighten any room with her big smile and even bigger heart.”

“As a tribute to Jessica, Mold hair stylist Mark Jones, from Absolute Cutters where Jesse was a customer, has named a classroom in a school in Africa after her.

“And Wrexham band Impaled Existence have written and dedicated a song called The Angels Touch for Jesse. They play it at every gig and dedicate it to her.”