...these few lines put a lump in my throat...

So, I was reading my friend, Boo's blog, and these few lines unexpectedly grabbed my by the throat and tore at my heart...

"Did you imagine the final sound as a gun?"

October 20th marked the one-year anniversary of the death of Steven, my son Matthew's friend, who died of an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Matthew, despite using his EMS training, was not able to save Steven's life. Did he ever imagine that the last sound he would hear in his short life was the sound of a gun going off next to his head?

"Or the smashing windscreen of a car?"

Yesterday, three boys who were high-

school seniors in our community died

in this automobile accident on their

way home from school. It was raining

hard, the narrow road they were driving

home from school on was slick, and they

swerved into oncoming traffic. Their VW

was demolished by a van--all died at

the scene.

"Did you ever imagine the last thing
you'd hear as you're fading out was a song?"

Last December, David Beningo, an acquaintance and former schoolmate

of my son, died of acute alcohol

poisoning... at a work-related

Christmas party.

As a mom, these words made my heart ache...babies dying, far away from the loving arms of their mommies to hold them and comfort them.