Losing My Friends

The day Luther was supposed to come home was like the past two days: after the dismissal of school, I would go to cross country practice. Grandma would then pick me up and take me home. When I got in the car after practice, Grandma’s facial expression told me that something was wrong, causing the air to strip from my lungs, dropping my stomach to my toes. She informed me that Luther had been taken by ambulance to St. Mary’s in Rochester. Instead of going home, we drove to see him and Mom. The ride to Rochester was a slow blur. Trying to work on homework was useless as constant thoughts about Luther flowed into my mind. When we arrived at St. Mary’s, we went straight to the NICU, where Luther was admitted. Tears filled my eyes when I saw the many chords that were connected to his little body that led to machines that I had never seen before. Mom explained to us what was going on, but I still didn’t grasp the concept that, lying in that little bed, was my baby brother. As an older sister, I felt helpless, knowing that he was going through more pain then I could ever imagine. We stayed for a couple hours, then Grandma took us home. We continued to return to Rochester every day to visit Luther and Mom.

On Wednesday, November 26, 2014, I was coming out of a very hectic day at work, when I received the news that had me breaking down in tears. “Odette your mother is in the emergency room.” I could not believe the words that were coming out of my father's mouth in that instinct. So many thoughts came rushing through my mind. “Why, my mom?” I kept on asking myself, but I knew that I could not show my depression to my two younger siblings. The reason for that was that I did not want to scare them nor make them feel the horrible feeling that I was feeling inside. Even though I appeared to look fine in the outside, my precious soul was dying in sorrows in the inside. The scariest thought of knowing your mother is in danger and that you cannot do anything to save her is very traumatizing. I honestly felt like my hands were tied behind my back while I saw her drowning in pain.

The first stage of grief I experienced while coming to terms with Stan’s condition was depression. Having received no sympathetic support from my family, I sat alone by Stan as he slept. Thoughts raced through my head, so much so that it was hard to think, so instead I began to cry. As I cried the fog in my head slowly lifted, and the only thing I could think about was how I was not ready for him to leave, and I couldn’t fathom how to continue without him. The cliche phrase ‘he’s in a better place now’ kept surfacing in my mind, and no matter how great my will I could not bring myself to believe it. I felt so helpless sitting there next to him knowing he was in pain and there was nothing I could do about it. I left his side only when I could no longer keep consciousness, and somehow deep within my heart I knew he wouldn’t make it through the night.

Losing someone is difficult, especially when it’s sudden. James Hernandez was one of the kids that tragically lost a friend in a heartbeat. James was The Warriors star player, everything in his life was planned out for him as if it was just destiny, but losing a best friend took a big toll on him, he had to overcome depression and his inner emotions. His long journey will have to be conquered with the help of his parents, and his friend Allison.

You don’t realize how crazy, and absolutely insane Matthew’s mother, Nikki, was until you have finished the book. From Matthew’s point of view it almost seems as if she was possessed. The things that she would do to her own children were unbearable. Matthew had taken an oreo one night and Nikki found out. Matthew said “She had the big kitchen knife, and it was pressed to my throat. And as she laughed, I could feel it shake in her hands, and push against my skin. She cut me that night. Just a little”(9). Picturing that in my mind is crazy and thinking that a mother would do that to their own

Tears trickle down my cheeks as I try to convey today’s horrors. I was shaken up with what had occurred I couldn’t I am no longer with Derek as he has been moved to another home. I had never imagined in my wildest dreams that I and brother would be separated. For I may never see him again!

Grieving is something you cannot run from, it will get you then or it will get you at your worst. Bridget it is hard losing a father. You only get one, when you come in this world. However you have a husband of 28 years that you can lean on when you’re weak. David you’re going to have to be Bridget’s superman. Yes, you will not be able to bring her father back but you can be here back bone to stand her up when she is weak. This too shall pass, if all is well in the works.

When I was a very young child, my mom died. It was an accident, or, at least, that’s what my dad always told me. I never quite believed it, but I knew better than to push it at that time. Because I had a sister to support – Samantha. She was four years younger than me, and she was my responsibility from the very beginning. Or so my father tried to convince me. I was always to be taking care of Sammy – Sammy came first. Everything was about her, but I could tell her nothing.

“Even though she was only here for a few hours, she had been given the most love,” said Ashley with a warm smile. It ceased and she went on, “She was nothing short of a blessing, but it nearly ripped out my heart letting her go…” Ashley’s firstborn daughter had a neural tube defect; she wasn’t expected to live through the night or even through birth. “It really is hard to give up what you love, but it’s easier knowing she went with our acceptance to someone we love—God.” She looked down to her curled hands in her lap, quiet tears welling in her green eyes. “I miss her. Everyday.”

My whole life, up until I was eighteen years old, I had no idea what it was like to lose a close friend. On June 9th, 2015, I experienced the feeling of true sorrow and pure love. I still remember this day as if it were yesterday. My misunderstanding of this feeling had all changed the day I heard Skyler was killed. It was a Tuesday morning and I was at the Paulding County Fair. As my brother Bailey and his girlfriend Estee approached me, I knew something wasn’t in shape. They said, “Brooke, something really bad has happened.” And I replied, “What?” They responded, “Skyler was killed in an accident this morning. He struck a telephone pole and rolled his truck into a tree and was killed instantly.” The information they told me has changed my life in many ways. It has shaped me and made me respect not only my life more, but also the lives of my friends and family that I love and care for the most.

“Stop.” Dr. Thomasson looked at me in surprise. “Just stop...talking.” I wanted to be left alone. Let me mourn her in peace.

Jenna pulled herself free of her father and older sister’s arms and hurried over to her brother. Orien was quick to pull his slightly older twin into his arms. He could feel Jenna shaking. His heart broke for her. He knew all too well about what it felt like to feel other people’s pain. All his life he been able to feel when people were either being born or dying. He was the polar opposite to Jenna who had abilities similar to his. However, Jenna’s ability to sense life was limited.

‘My loving daughter Connie was a beacon of light in our lives. She was a caring, compassionate and kind girl with so much love to give. She was taken from us too early, and had her whole life ahead of her. Connie’s sickness was terrible and god took her pain away and brought her to heaven. She was loved by everyone she met and always could brighten up someone’s day with her beautiful smile. Connie was so intelligent and knew so many things. Her life was cut too short, but we didn’t deserve someone like Connie, and she belongs in the kingdom of god. She may be gone, but she is still my little girl. Connie loved her brothers both so much as if they were her own children, and I know that they loved her unconditionally back. Kip, Francis and

My memory can only place certain moments of that day into a sequence that makes any sort of sense in my head. I recollect the fluttering, fluorescent light bulbs that seem to put me into some sort of morbid spotlight for all to see, and the smell, the sterile smell of a life ended. Much like that of a movie, I saw everything in that hopeless sort of slow motion as if to somehow slow down the reality of what I was to become of me and my family. The early morning of March 24, 2006 was nothing if not the one-day that will forever be seared into my brain. Much like the ritual of an owner branding its animal, I will forever be marked with the horror of that morning.

What does it mean to possess great significance? Initially when I confronted myself with this essay I struggled for an answer to this question. Just like religion, I have discovered that the characterization can be a difficult one - you know it when you see it, but cannot define it as easily. The dictionary broadly describes a significant element as “important; of consequence.” Of course, something significant is relative to the observer, dependent on their own judgment of what is and what is not important. This has led me to formulate that the really significant concepts hold sentimental, rather than material values. An expensive car or furnished boat has the same price tag regardless of who owns it. An old metal medallion passed