The Strength in Community

 I saw my grandson today, and he’s changed, not as quick to laugh, to smile, but willing and needing the hug I offered.  His friend is dead, a concept he must struggle with, though the empty desk in his classroom, the absence at the hockey games are constant reminders.

Almost a week ago that 12 year old boy and his 10 year old sister were standing on the side of a country road waiting for the school bus. As the bus approached a car apparently came over the hill and lost control coming down the road, and hit the two children. 

The little girl suffered so many injuries, critical injuries, and was subsequently flown to the city and admitted to a trauma unit. To date she has had three surgeries, the last a nine hour operation to repair her spine. 

Her town and mine are deeply intertwined. People’s work lives, their shopping, their sports are shared. I’d like to say we are separated by only fifteen or so kilometres but right now I’m guessing.

Everyone wants to know how the family is doing, and wants to help. A candlelight vigil is planned for an evening this week, and money is being raised to help with expenses.

The father has written two Facebook postings that just make me want to cry. I can’t imagine him sitting down to write about his children in this way. He gives some information and it’s obvious he’s trying to be strong, to say just enough, but in my nurse’s opinion he’s shielding everyone from the true horror that this week has been. 

Details have been leaking out about the actual accident and it has been said the driver was seventeen and lost control coming down the steep hill with its mostly gravelled surface.

Another Facebook posting today was asking for people to reach out to this young man and his family. For their lives are also going to be greatly altered because of that morning’s events.

We’re hockey communities, and though things are greatly scaled down because of COVID-19, there is still some semblance of play. The hockey families will be supportive of this family, just as they were there for another hockey family a few months ago who lost everything in a house fire. 

Our small town has seen enough tragedy and heartbreak. I was hoping this would be the extent of our 2020 challenges but now we are faced with a daily increase in COVID cases in our county. 

I hope we weather this storm as we have others through the years, and pray that everyone will be there to welcome the new year feeling safe and strong.

❤️