Personal Narrative: How Death Has Changed My Life

On 09/12/2016, I Deputy Daniel Pruitt was dispatched to 52455 West Highway 16 for an unattended death compliant. I arrived on scene st 6:45pm and meet with Creek County EMS unit 40.

Witnessing death was something that came surprisingly easy for me. I didn’t scream, I didn’t become sick, I was oddly settled.

Losing my mother, the most important person to me , was a life changing event that altered the way I see the world. Knowing that she is in a better place and at peace is everything I could've wanted for my mother. As me and my siblings grow older we miss her more every day. I have learned never to take someone for granted because we aren't promised forever with them. We have to make the most of who and what we

Cozy coffee shops, warm summers, friendly hugs…1.2.3. Disastrous events occur all the time. We are always aware that someone, somewhere in the world, is hurtling forwards into tragedy. Tragic endings leave behind unanswered questions, unfulfilled dreams, unspoken thoughts. Those who love you are left behind, in the dust of your presence, spent to forever remember only your memory, not your existence. Crisp slices of toast, piping hot cups of tea, fresh strawberries…1.2.3. We all tend to forget an end exists. We spend our lives compiling as many happy memories as we can, fully enjoying the good days, deeply mourning the sad ones. When tragedy strikes, only then are we reminded that the end is there, and we scurry and try once again to make the most out of

The first of these two moments took place about two years ago. The event that took place was the passing of my grandfather. Due to the unexpectedness, this event was devastating for my family and I. My grandfather was the rock of our family, he was the one that brought everyone together and he was also the one person that everyone would talk to if they needed help with something. Now that he was no longer with us, there was not someone to do that for my family anymore. Everybody in my family was in grief for weeks and even months after his passing. Witnessing my family this way was very difficult. I had sympathy for them because I knew

The remorse grey morning awaited. I never knew one person could have such an impact on my life, as well as everyone else’s lives. I always thought everything was just a beautiful fantasy land where everything was perfect. Waterfall coming out of everyone's eyes filled my imagination of what one man can do to a crowd. I asked myself one question, “Why him, why does it have to be him”. The emotions, pouring out of meand I knew the fall of 2006 was gonna be bad.

Please, oh please let the words come. I sit, and stare, and type, and I backspace. No one will like it. My work is crap. Crap, crap, crap. I crumple my paper watch it fall. The clock taunts with its ticking reminding me of all I want to forget. It creates a beat; a song. Poetic chords and dismal notes ring in my ears. But no, this is thought I should avoid. I am great- better than great. People will love this. Oh please, please, please let them love this. Will my legacy amount to nothing more than abysmal hope? This is the last time I think of it. Oh please don’t let me think of it. The blank page stares at me and I begin to write. One word, then another, then another, and another. You will never know what comes out onto the page until it is

My mother has a substantial impact on my life which shaped me into the college-ready young man I am today. When I was just a sophomore in high school she got arrested and removed out of my life in a flash. My two sisters and I did not know what to do. We had no father figure in our life, so, our grandparents came in and took us under their wing. Not knowing what to do, I was panicking asking myself questions like what am I going to do now and where am I going to attend school. These were really tough decisions knowing that I do not have a say in what happens. Having to leave all my close childhood friends, along with all the memories I had made in my hometown, it was a very dramatic sequence of events.

Throughout our lives, we experience situations that can undoubtedly challenge our lives. These experiences can have outcomes that are not in our favor, but teach us crucial lessons. In my case, almost a year ago I lost someone who unquestionably had a vast impact on my life. My uncle Sal was taken from me unexpectedly. That day took a major toll on myself and my entire family. However, such an event served as the gate for me to see they type of person I am.

Many things have shaped me into the person I am today. Most of those things have to do with people dying or having near-death experiences or anything along the tragic things that can happen in one's life. Those things entail my Uncle Daniel's death, my dad's heart surgery, my cousin Laura losing her baby, and my great grandmother, Mimi, losing her life. Those things have made me realize the preciousness of life, deepened my faith, and made me a more compassionate person today.

Sometimes, the sorrowful events in life bring out the best in your life and yourself. Two years ago, I went through true maturation through a traumatic event that immensely affected me as a person. As pencils were being sharpened and the sounds of school filtered back into my life, I found out my Grandma had Cancer. In an effort to provide better treatment, she came to live with us for four months. That time was incredibly precious and special as I saw my Grandma in a whole new light. I saw her strength, her tenacity, and her positivity.

Why am I torturing myself? Enclosed in a 3 sided cage with only the illusion of freedom out the steel framed front door. The mirrors on the walls staring at my jiggling fat from all angles. The dingy ceiling tiles are stained from countless roof leaks and the floor littered with pebbles and rubber from a busted medicine ball. The sting of body odor and bleach fills my nostrils. Head splitting music ravishes my ears through the chaos of weights clashing and ropes smacking the floor. My classmates glare at me with their squinty hypocritical eyes.

Thinking about what someone would say about you on your obituary at the age of 15 was unusual. But after diving off the road and rolling around like a tumbleweed in a metal monster only to defy death, I laid on my hospital bed pondering the “what ifs”. What if I did die? Would they describe me with the typical characteristics of the young and departed: sweet, loving, caring, with a bright future? Of course turning a blind eye to my quick temper and sharp tongue; it’s rude to speak negatively of the dead. I came to the conclusion that I would be publicly mourned for a time period of about two weeks. My funeral would come and then I would be forgotten slowly as my classmates and extended family readjusted to their lives without me. My memory

Although its not always easy, some days being worse than others, I keep persevering. I’ve developed life skills to help me overcome obstacles and I know I have built up the strength to be able to handle the worst of situations. It’s important to me to live every day to the fullest and never take time for granted. Life can be taken away so quickly, therefore its important to not leave any regrets, do what makes you happy, and always tell the people you love, that you love them. Although I don’t seem much different than my peers in most situations I encounter and most conversations I participate in, I will still always be the girl whose mom passed away. My experience is very meaningful to my life and I feel as if I wouldn’t be complete without sharing. The loss of my mom has impacted me significantly, shaping my personality and all other aspects of who I

When something happens in your life when least expected, it is not always a good thing. Three years ago I didn’t think my life could be turned upside down, but it did. I and my husband started fighting a lot, and couple months later, we lost our house, and life started going downhill from there. As soon as I thought everything was getting better, it just got three times worse. This year, I told myself I was going to make it better for my family, but then I lost my kids to CPS.