Today started off great! Tinkerbell let me sleep from 12AM-5:55AM and I really needed it because today was the start of the dreaded soccer season. The Drama Kid had been playing on the same team for several seasons and all of a sudden this summer, more than half of the kids decided to quit...including the coaches kid. So, we were left team less. The 3 kids remaining were joined with another disbanded" team to form a new team. This did not sit well with me because that meant 5 new soccer moms I had to schmooze with. I don't schmooze well. Let's just say I don't speak the soccer mom language.Anyway, Mr. Five had to work this evening (as per usual) and my mom was set to watch the girls at 5:00. In a mad dash, DK was dressed, the diaper bag stuffed, 3 kids strapped into the people mover (I drive an insanely large vehicle) and we were off.
As we pulled out of our neighborhood, we noticed there was a bustle of activity going on at DK's school. There were 3 policeman blocking various lanes, an ambulance, a green SUV, Care Flight grounded at the scene, and a mob of people. As we drew closer it was apparent the mob of people were huddled over a body. The Care Flight stretcher was right there...but no one was on it. You could see blood pooled in the parking lot. DK's parking lot....the school he attends....starting Monday. I felt sick.
By the time I arrived at the folks house you could see the news copters circling around like vultures. The 5 o'clock news was about to start but we had to leave for practice. One of the soccer moms got a call with an update of the situation. It wasn't pretty. Apparently that green SUV was pulling a 15 year old boy on a skateboard attempting a stunt. The skateboarder lost his balance and somehow the rope was entangled under the vehicle, thus pulling the boy under with it. The SUV ran over him and the words that I heard were "massive head trauma". Oh, that would explain the red pool in the parking lot. He died from his injuries.A 16 year old was driving...his best friend.
I have a little boy. He will be 15 in just 7 years. He likes to have fun. He doesn't usually think before he does something that seems fun, he just does it...especially if friends are playing along. These boys probably thought they were doing something harmless. They were in a parking lot....how fast could they even have been going? On a skateboard? That parking lot is so tiny!
As I watched soccer practice I pictured each one of those boys a few years older, unsupervised, just trying to have fun. Stupid fun, but fun none-the-less. I also thought of some of the dumb things I did as a teenager and wondered "how do I protect my boy?". I can't be with him every minute. I can't sit on his shoulder and say "No way man, don't do that....you could get killed".
I pray for the knowledge to teach my son to make good decisions. Is that even possible?
I pray for the boy's family, the driver of the car, and his friends...for moms of boys and girls everywhere and their precious children.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
In the mad scheme of things
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4 comments:
As a mom of two boys, this is terrifying - it could be both of mine doing that someday... I pray daily for them to gain better impulse control - the Worrier usually is the voice of reason, but sometimes he gets talked into crazy things by his older brother.
Wow. That's close to home in so many ways.
It's hard not to worry about your kids constantly. I guess the best you can do is, like Elastigirl, pray for impulse control and wisdom for them.
WFAA.com says that the SWAT team and 3 paramedics just happened on to the scene on their way back to the station.
Can you imagine?
With an 18 year old male who's just left home to do as he pleases...this horrifies me. But sounds all too familiar.
One time about a year ago, the police brought him home because he and a friend were skateboarding down the sidewalk on Oak and jumping the ramp into North Texas Blvd. A fairly busy intersection! B. said, "But, I was standing in the street to stop the traffic when he came through!"
Yeah, like holding up your hand will stop traffic.
Fortunately, the person who he tried to "stop" in that insane way was the UNT police chief in his personal car. Thank God he thought I needed to know about it.
I think your boys need to know this story at some point. At work, much of my teaching is in this vein: "I had a student once who...." it seems to get their attention better than anything.
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