April 21, 2012

• A Life Lost Much Too Soon….

  TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM

  Today is a sad day for the whole Brat Family.  One of the children was taken from us and he was still in high school.  I’m talking about one of Tara’s sons. Tara is my niece.  Daughter to my sister Cee.  Mother to a sweet family of six kids, now five.   Let me tell you about Kevin.

  Kevin was a very sweet and slightly shy kid.  He was her second oldest child.  He had gotten his driver’s license last year and was very proud of that.  He was on the high school track team and had won many medals.  He had recently won one for a 10 foot high jump at a regional track meet.  Tara was so proud of him. 

  He had qualified for this special meet that was held up in Nashville.  The coach drove the team up there in his SUV.  I don’t have all the details except that they were involved in an accident on their way home and, apparently, very serious.  When Tara was notified about the accident, she jumped in her van and headed up there totally unaware of just how serious it was other than Kevin was in the hospital.  She hadn’t gone far when she received the news that Kevin didn’t make it.  He had died of his injuries.  Tara returned home since there was nothing she could do and no son to bring home to nurse from what we all had prayed were not serious injuries.  The school would see to it that he was returned home when his mother had made arrangements for his funeral.

  Sounds awful, doesn’t it?  I mean that you send a perfectly healthy son to a school sanctioned track meet and, by nightfall, you have to think about burying him?  It even sounds cold that anyone could suggest that to a mother facing the loss of a much loved son.  Heck, I have been crying continually since I found out and he’s my great-nephew.  Can you imagine the heartbreak his mother is undergoing?

  The Princess, who is close to her, and the Beast are with her right now.  The Beast will be the practical one and the Princess will cry along with her and comfort her and his brother, whom I am sure will be lost and confused.  They were very close in age.

  I’ve said forever that life is short and you never know when someone you love will be taken from you.  But Kevin’s life was much TOO short and that just doesn’t seem fair.  He had a bright future ahead of him.  He was hoping to excel in track to help him get financial aid for college.  He had a very practical view of life and knew it would be difficult for his single mother (divorced) to pay to put him through college no matter how much she wanted to.  So he had his plan and was working hard on it.  It’s more than sad, it’s tragic that he has now had his life cut short.  All because of a traffic accident.  A one-car accident.  They hydroplaned into a tree.
  

  I have no idea if any of the other boys were hurt seriously or not.  I really didn’t care.  This boy, son, brother, grandson, great-nephew is OURS and his life has been lost to us much too soon.  Notifying everyone is one of the saddest things I have had to do.  My kids are devastated for many reasons.  Tara grew up with them.  Kevin was like one of THEIR sons.  He has a brother in the Marines that will be just as devastated when he is notified.  How his father must feel one can only guess.  I just know that no parent ever wants to lose a child.  Children are supposed to outlive us.  I know that Tara must be feeling ten times the hurt and loss that I am feeling.

  My poor sister, Cee, was crying so hard she couldn’t talk.  She wants to be there for her daughter and she is still recovering from her surgery.  The next week will be a nightmare for us all.

  I will leave you now and just say once more….Be sure to tell those you love that you do every time you speak to them or see them.  Life truly is short.  You just never know what is ahead.  Drive carefully, please.
  

  • 12:11 am
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