Sunday

You wake up one glorious May Sunday morning, stretch, yawn and start your day.

 

You check on your 18-year-old daughter to make sure she's safe, since last night was her senior prom.  Her new boyfriend came up Saturday from his town down in the valley to take her to the prom, and he's staying the weekend with your family.  They met a few months ago in honors band camp.

 

Your 20-year-old son is also here for the weekend, and he'll be driving home today.

 

All is well.  You get ready for church.

 

When you come home from church your son has gone.  You go into your daughter's room . . .

 

. . . and that's when your world comes to a stop.  Your daughter and her boyfriend are there in body, but not in spirit.  You find them there, together, murdered.

 

Four hours later the police arrest a suspect -- your daughter's ex-boyfriend and co-worker at the grocery store.  Your son is on his way back to be with you.

 

At dinner time you get the news that there's been an accident.  Your son, in his hurry to get home, took a mountain curve too fast and hit a stand of pine trees.  He's been airlifted down to a valley hospital.  He's in critical condition.

 

Two days later, he dies, never having regained consciousness.

 

Two towns are grieving the loss of three young people whom they knew and loved.  An entire region moans in pain and grief every time the news is updated, because it is worse every time.  Parents everywhere have glazed eyes as they try to -- and then try not to -- imagine your loss.  Prayers are offered, hugs are tighter at bedtime.

 

This is an imagined account of a true story, here in my part of the world.  The tragedy happened Sunday, which was Mother's Day.  Please hold the woman, the mother, the parent, who in a way is all of us, in your minds and hearts this week.

Comments

[Mantel Man]

I awoke this morning with a small hand, about the size of Sparky's, resting on my arm. (Energy Girl and her mom came over last night, and we all fell asleep curled up on the sofa, watching "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.")

Obviously I've never known the gnawing worry that can accompany parenthood, but reading news like this makes me feel like I can see it from here.

[mommypie]

Oh Lord. Incomprehensible. My prayers are with that family.

[wrekehavoc]

oh. my. G-d.

awful doesn't even scratch the surface.

[Kyddryn]

I read this story and thought "How awful..how unutterably horrible..." when it first broke. I can only try to imagine what that's like - and while my imagination is powerful, it can't quite wrap around something of this magnitude.

The families are in my thoughts, as is a burning demand for justice from whatever gods may be listening.

Poor babies...poor mums...

Shade and Sweetwater,
K

[Jenn @ Juggling Life]

I came over from The Mom Bomb to tell you how much I agreed with your comment on homework. Now I'm just in shock.

[Ang]

Speechless & Senseless! If you should know these families, please give them a large hug for me.

God Bless these families!

[Cactus Petunia]

Holy smokes. That is truly every mother's nightmare.

[David]

Words are no good here. Prayers perhaps help us get to a point, but this is beyond comprehension. It does put things in perspective.

[MamaMo]

How devastating. I will certainly keep the families in my prayers.

[madame x]

Heartbreaking

[ok, where was I]

This is utterly beyond comprehension. As I was reading, I was thinking, Now where is she going with this b/c this is completely unbelievable? I would think the shock level for that family would be off the charts b/c it's so past what you can wrap your mind around.

[All Adither]

that's so awful. And the way you wrote it. Really drove it home.

[MommyTime]

I feel like I can't breathe.

[Debbie]

Mouth open, head shaking, stunned, not sure if I'm breathing yet..Oh my God...

I'm not sure how one ever recovers from this...they are in my prayers.

[Asthmagirl]

How horrible... My goodness, how do you heal from such a series of events....
That poor family....

[Mental P Mama]

I have just had the air sucked out of my entire body. Dear God.

[Hallie]

There are no words...

Hallie

[Rick's Cafe]

Kind of makes those days were life sucked, to seem almost tolerable by comparison

[Chesapeake Bay Woman]

I am stunned beyond belief.

[Grandma J]

As I was reading this, I honestly thought my heart stopped, but I was still breathing.... I can't even fathom living through that nightmare. Of course both families are in my prayers.
Of course now I feel like a complete ass writing about how I almost died in a friggin rain storm. Thank you for putting things in perspective.

[Fawn]

Oh, my word, that is absolutely horrifying. What a terrible, terrible thing to happen.