TAMPA, Florida—Dark clouds rolled over South Tampa Sunday evening, as coworkers arrived mourning the loss of 23-year-old Brittany Collett, the bartender they say brought daily sunshine to their lives.
“Everyone loved her,” said her close friend Erin Dell. “Anyone who came to this bar knew her.”
“It feels like something is missing like we had a bite taken out of us,” said Lauren Vance at the end of her shift.
The staff there learned the news Tuesday after Brittany failed to show up for work following a trip to Detroit where she was visiting her boyfriend.
Police in Michigan charged 20-year-old Tykese Keaton-Baldwin, a former Plant football standout with second-degree murder in his girlfriend’s death. Her lifeless body was found badly beaten in the yard of a home, police say.
“We feel a lot of the story is what he did to her and not like the kind of person she was,” said Dell. “She was always in a good mood, she was kind-hearted, always smiling, always laughing.”
Monday evening coworkers plan on remembering Brittany with a candlelight vigil at Ballast Point Park.
Vance said employees from other Buffalo Wild Wings are volunteering to cover shifts at the South Tampa location so everyone can attend.
“They’re coming in from miles away just so we can have this very special event for our lost friend.”
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
