Terrell knows about new challenges - she's been a student, a nurse and a business owner, as well as raising three kids, latterly while losing their home in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Now the daughter she heaped love and spontaneity and a sense of adventure on has given her another purpose.
"Out of Burgundy's passing, she's given me another job, and it's to look after and be there for the friends," Terrell says.
The role was so important her words at her daughter's funeral were equally for the living.
"It wasn't just all about Burgundy. There were about 700 at the funeral and there must've been 300 or 400 young people. I said they were loved, they were precious and delicately made, and someone is there for them.
"Ring me, I don't mind."
Anita Terrell, left, with her first-born daughter, Burgundy-Rose Brown. Photo / Supplied
The call could be for a safe ride home, or a chat. None had taken up the former, but some had called or messaged to talk.
She wanted all young people to hear her message that it was never too late to get out of a bad situation or decision.
"Go with your instincts. It doesn't have to end badly. You're in control and, if it's not right, your parents would rather have you home than having to deal with what I've had to."
Burgundy-Rose made lots of good decisions in her life — she gathered seeds from her sunflowers to sell for charity, she gave her pocket money to the homeless, she was studying hairdressing and she dreamed of being a flight attendant "because the world is calling me, Mum".
Last month, she made one wrong decision.
Burgundy-Rose Brown, right, with her sister Magenta when they were children. Photo / Supplied
The week before the crash, Burgundy-Rose asked Terrell if she could go with Dexter to pick-up a car in Nelson.
"I gave her the worst possible outcome for this trip, and that's what I'm dealing with," Terrell said.
They'd always had an open and honest relationship, so Terrell doesn't know why her daughter went anyway, slipping away unnoticed as her mum worked.
But she's forgiven her daughter and had "absolutely no animosity" towards Dexter, who was at the wheel.
Dexter Barham's mangled Nissan Silvia at the scene of the crash. Photo / Broadcast Media NZ
Dexter, 16, and a learner driver, collided head-on with a Holden Colorado after crossing the centre line on State Highway 1, north of Amberley, about 6am on March 18.
Police - who said this week they're still investigating the crash - had told her all three teens in the car were wearing seatbelts and the car wasn't speeding, Terrell says.
Three other people were hurt in the crash, one critically.
"I have my sad moments and this new reality seems surreal at times, but I go back to the reality that Burgundy is not here and she would want us to keep living.
