In Memorial

Yesterday I mentioned "school's out" and today I'm reminded of the dangers that accompany that. This post is not NASCAR related but that is where the "Eclectic" part of my blog title comes in. It is in relation to cars, teenagers and the danger.

Last week our community suffered a terrible loss. 5 young people were together in a 2004 Monte Carlo that the young man who owned had just gotten. This car full of innocent lives driving down a back road careened around a corner at a high speed. The driver lost control and the car sheered a telephone pole then flipped several times killing all 3 passengers in the back seat. The 2 front seat passengers survived and were later found near the site. The investigation continues, as the driver has yet to be determined and toxicology reports could find this young man guilty on 3 counts of vehicular manslaughter.

The 3 that were lost were very popular local kids. It has had devastating effects on many of their peers as well as parents and teachers, etc. This is not the first time that this has happened here nor I'm certain it will not be the last. This kind of tragedy happens across our country every day and somewhere today a community will mourn. At times these accidents are just that.. purely accidental, but generally they are caused by alcohol, drugs, high speed and/or inexperienced drivers. We do our best as a nation to educate our kids on these dangers, but kids will be kids and boys will be boys.

On a very snowy Sunday, February 28th, 1999 a 17 year old girl took her car against her mothers pleas to head some 20 miles to her friends house. She was inexperienced and the roads were treacherous. She was within a mile of her destination when going up a hill she lost control and slid sideways into an oncoming SUV that slammed her in the driver's side door. She was brain dead at the scene and a short time later a decision was made to have life support removed as her head injury was massive. Today that little girl would be 26 years old. She was born Meagan June, on June 19th, 1981. Happy birthday my darling. Daddy misses you so much.