Following Sunday night’s services at St. Kilian’s church, I overheard one Farmingdale parent tell her child: “You see why I always yell at you to buckle up.”
As I continued past, I could hear my mother telling me the exact same thing.
It wasn’t all that long ago, about two years, since Graham died. He was driving home and had been less than a mile away when it happened. Police said he was speeding down a roadway that was known for its dangerous curves. It was a local road, one he’d travel countless times before… and maybe it was darker than normal, or there was fog, or the roads were wet and slippery; but that night his car careened off the road and crashed into a tree.
Not unlike the tragedy that has shaken the entire Farmingdale community this past week, Graham died before his time, at the early age of 21. He was an aspiring musician, an avid skateboarder and an all-around friendly person to be around.
Although Graham wore his seatbelt at the time of the accident, Mom’s being who they are, remind us of these things when they know it has the most impact so it resonates with us. It is from these horrific tragedies that we can learn from the past and change to improve the future.
As for Mom, she is just being protective… after all we are all somebody’s children.
