| Death is something I've been forced to think a lot about in the last two years. Yesterday I found out that another person I had known from middle school, Ryan Charlie, had commited suicide the night before (April 11,2002). It makes me almost sick to my stomach thinking I knew someone who did this. I can't help but think what if I had been better friends with this person... what could I have done to make him know I cared... what could I have done to stop him. It just makes you think how much little things can chage a persons life. What if I had befriended him more during middle school and kept in touch with him. Things were different with Heather. I knew her too. I was pretty upset the day she died. Heather Kennedy was one of the sweetest people I had ever known. There really was something in the way of us being great friends tho. She was deaf. I talked to her with the limited amount of Sign Language that I knew... but it was hard to talk to someone when every sentance took about a minute to say. I was in sign language club in middle school... thats where I met her. She was the one who gave me my sign name. She hadn't alwayz been deaf. When she was four years old she had heart problems and had to have surgery. There were some complications in the surgery and she ended up becoming deaf out of it. When she shared that story with us she shared how she was then happy that it had happened because it made her who she was. Then last year... she had to have more heart sugery. Once again.... more complications... and this time.... she lost more than her hearing... she lost her life. Mike Yost was a very close friend of mine... and many other people. I had just gotten to know him more and more becuz his girlfriend and he had broken up and I had tried to get them back together... and it worked. I was so happy for them.... I knew they really cared about eachother. But I was even more happy because I really cared about Mike and I wanted him to be happy. One night he decided to take his moms car and go on a drive around Westerville. He was only 15 and he didn't have even his temporary licence yet. He was driving through a development... when he hit a turn too fast and his car flipped three times and landed up side down. At that time I had no idea this was happening. Me... I was asleep... having a good time in my dreams... while Mike was in so much pain. The next day at school I heard that there was an accident and some kid from a Worthington school had been killed... I thought that it was so sad. Then after announcements second period there was an announcement that all the people involed in marching band should come down to the band room. I was confused. I asked the other people walking with me what they thought happened for us to be called down. Then one person said... oh... uh... some freshman kid named Mike died. At that point... time stopped... I couldn't breathe and almost fainted... then I started to scream. I didn't know what to think... all I could think was it was a rumor and wasn't true... Mike didn't die... someone from Worthington did... not Mike. I walked with them all the way down to the band room... but as soon I got close I heard the screaming and crying and I knew it was true. I was in tears before I entered the room. No one cared what anyone looked like at that time. No one cared how popular or un popular anyone was... we were a family. We just sat and cried and hugged. I will never forget the day Mike died... and how much he had tought me about life. The day before he died he had hugged me like he did everyday before band. There was a time when I was sick for three dayz and I had thought no one had noticed. I was wrong. Mike had noticed... he came up to me gave me a huge hug and said... I missed you so much. I miss Mike every day and can't wait till the day when I get to see him again and can give him a big hug and say back to him.... I missed you so much. Death has tought me some very important lessons: Let everyone you care know you care... even if you are mad at them... you still love them and never know when they will be gone. Know how much a little smile of wave can do... it can make a person's day. Know how little time u or anyone might have... yeah... they're here today... but u don't know if they will be tomorrow.... live life to the fullest. |
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