On December 15th, here in Alberta, there was a triple murder suicide. 2 of the 3 people killed were from the same province as I grew up in where my family still lives, living in the same province as I do now. There was a third person as well, a girl, 21. Her name is Shayna & she survived. She was shot 3 times, left for dead, but she survived. I can't imagine the long road she has ahead of her. I mean really. Their story goes a little like this{this is just my summery of what i have been following on the news}...
2 young 20 yearolds from a small province, best friends, baseball teammates. Their names are Mitch & Tanner. It was Tanner's bday & they had stayed out late partying. They were both flying home together for Christmas holidays. Shayna, Tanner's ex-gfriend, or gfriend, I'm not sure, but friends obviously, was driving them 3 hours to the airport. She was driving her friends vehicle. Her's friends name is Tabitha. Tabitha has an ex-boyfriend name Derek. Derek followed them, rammed into the back of Tabitha's SUV. Shayna, who was driving, got out. He shot her 3 times. He then shot Tabitha, Mitch, & Tanner. Killing them. He then turned the gun on himself. Wtf, eh? How does this even happen.
I can't tell you how much this tragedy has affected me. Grown me up. I feel connected to it in such strong way, even though I did not know any of the kids involved. But I relate to all of them. I mean. Shayna. I was Shayna. Living away. Driving a friends vehicle. It's such a miracle that she survived. She was meant to survive. She amazes me.
Those boys. I feel connected to them in a couple different ways. First, I know what it is like for boys, from my island, to be living out west. I know how damn excited they get when their boys gets home & they get to drink beer together again. I know what it is like to be excited to be flying home for Chirstmas. I feel like, in away, I knew what they were feeling. And then....as a mother. I can't imagine what their precious families are going thru. They were innocent bystanders in all of this, & that has to be an extremly difficult thing to accept. They were almost pro ball players. They were so so loved by their friends, their teammates, their coaches & their families. I did not know them & I feel their void here on earth so I can only imagine what the families are feeling.
Tabitha. Her family spoke @ the memorial that was held for all these amazing people. They devastated, of course, to lose this vibrant, beautiful part of their family. They showed a video of her, car dancing & it truly showed her personality. She was lovable. You could tell. Her life ended much too short. Ended by her ex-boyfriend. Bless her beautiful heart.
Derek. I mean. What to say. He seemed like he was a good person,before that dreaded night on the highway, I have no idea. It seemed to surprise everyone in his life that he was capable of this. He was moving to start his life in a new city after his breakup with Tabitha. I don't know what went so wrong for him that night...he took innocent lives. Affected innocent people. His parents. Suffering terribly, I'm sure. Trying to make sense of what happened to their son. And he's gone too...
This whole tragedy has woken me up. I have to say, I have never felt more vulnerable, but you never know what day will be your last. Or what day will be last for someone you love. I wont take for granted my life any more. Not after grieving for lives gone so innocently. I think of Shayna everyday. She here, in the same city as myself, physically recovering. I can only imagine that the emotional wounds will take significantly longer.
2 young 20 yearolds from a small province, best friends, baseball teammates. Their names are Mitch & Tanner. It was Tanner's bday & they had stayed out late partying. They were both flying home together for Christmas holidays. Shayna, Tanner's ex-gfriend, or gfriend, I'm not sure, but friends obviously, was driving them 3 hours to the airport. She was driving her friends vehicle. Her's friends name is Tabitha. Tabitha has an ex-boyfriend name Derek. Derek followed them, rammed into the back of Tabitha's SUV. Shayna, who was driving, got out. He shot her 3 times. He then shot Tabitha, Mitch, & Tanner. Killing them. He then turned the gun on himself. Wtf, eh? How does this even happen.
I can't tell you how much this tragedy has affected me. Grown me up. I feel connected to it in such strong way, even though I did not know any of the kids involved. But I relate to all of them. I mean. Shayna. I was Shayna. Living away. Driving a friends vehicle. It's such a miracle that she survived. She was meant to survive. She amazes me.
Those boys. I feel connected to them in a couple different ways. First, I know what it is like for boys, from my island, to be living out west. I know how damn excited they get when their boys gets home & they get to drink beer together again. I know what it is like to be excited to be flying home for Chirstmas. I feel like, in away, I knew what they were feeling. And then....as a mother. I can't imagine what their precious families are going thru. They were innocent bystanders in all of this, & that has to be an extremly difficult thing to accept. They were almost pro ball players. They were so so loved by their friends, their teammates, their coaches & their families. I did not know them & I feel their void here on earth so I can only imagine what the families are feeling.
Tabitha. Her family spoke @ the memorial that was held for all these amazing people. They devastated, of course, to lose this vibrant, beautiful part of their family. They showed a video of her, car dancing & it truly showed her personality. She was lovable. You could tell. Her life ended much too short. Ended by her ex-boyfriend. Bless her beautiful heart.
Derek. I mean. What to say. He seemed like he was a good person,before that dreaded night on the highway, I have no idea. It seemed to surprise everyone in his life that he was capable of this. He was moving to start his life in a new city after his breakup with Tabitha. I don't know what went so wrong for him that night...he took innocent lives. Affected innocent people. His parents. Suffering terribly, I'm sure. Trying to make sense of what happened to their son. And he's gone too...
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| via facebook |
This whole tragedy has woken me up. I have to say, I have never felt more vulnerable, but you never know what day will be your last. Or what day will be last for someone you love. I wont take for granted my life any more. Not after grieving for lives gone so innocently. I think of Shayna everyday. She here, in the same city as myself, physically recovering. I can only imagine that the emotional wounds will take significantly longer.
1 comment:
I think it was a tragedy what happened..those young people had such wonderful long lives ahead of them..it is awful. :(
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