OT: So Very Very Sad
DiWitt
here and this next week will be as well. Two popular teens at my son's high
school were killed in a car accident. Tonight was a very sad tear jerking
candlight vigil at the school. Tomorrow is the double viewing and then
Wednesday are the funerals. This has effected my son and his friends soooo
much. I've never seen so many tears. Tonight when they got in the car,
each reached for their seatbelts with no reminder. That was a first. Zac
wasn't wearing a seatbelt but Brittany was. The car was doing 80 mph in a
45 mph zone. Dark country road with curves ..... and he was passing. Why he
made that decision we will never know but he did.
The kids are very impressed suddenly with the finality of death and how
important each and every decision they make actually is. As my son Nick
said, "in the blink of an eye Mom, in the blink of an eye. And I've never
get to see Brit again." It has slapped them all hard with the fact that
they aren't immortal. It was amazing to see them support each other at this
difficult time and pull together for those whose pain was greater than their
own. No one held back....even the boys cried.
It crushed me to see these kids, some of whom I've known since they were
toddlers, standing up before a crowd of at least 800 and deliver their
stories and sorrow for their friends. A 15 year old's version of the eulogy.
An older brother's tribute to his kid brother. To see the parents and place
myself in their place. To realize all these kids whose lives have been
forever engraved with the images of this day and those to come. I just
can't stop crying.
At the vigil tonight the Athletic Director for the school talked about how
the bible talks that when peace comes to the world the lion will lie down
with the lamb. He also talked about the "Lamb of God" At Oviedo High
School, the sports teams are the Lions so he left us with this image. He
said "at 10:30 Friday night two Oviedo Lions met the Lamb of God and now
know eternal peace." It put a smile on our faces.
I just had to share this with you all. Now you know why I haven't been
posting too much. Here's the newpaper article that tells a little more
about them. I know you will keep their families in your prayers. As
always, thanks for listening. So Sad.
Cyberhugs...DianeW
*****************
April 21, 2002
2 Oviedo teens die in crash
Sentinel Staff Writer, By Sandra Pedicini
OVIEDO -- He was a popular Oviedo High School wrestler with a generous heart
and big plans for the future. She was a bubbly junior-varsity cheerleader
who loved school. Zac Jarzynka and Brittany Smith had dated for two months,
and she had just bought a red satin dress to attend next month's prom at
Disney's Yacht Club Resort.
This weekend, their plans came to a heartbreaking end. The two died in a car
crash Friday night. Now students, teachers and family members are mourning
the loss of Zac, a 17-year-old junior, and Brittany, a 15-year-old freshman.
The two had been returning to Brittany's home after dinner at Romano's
Macaroni Grill with friends just before 10 p.m. Friday. Zac's Jeep Cherokee
hit a tree on Osceola Road in Geneva, about a mile from Brittany's home on
3797 East Osceola Road.
"We lost an angel," Brittany's grandmother, Pat Smith, said Saturday.
Florida Highway Patrol officials said Zac was driving east near Gun Range
Road in Geneva when his Jeep started to spin at a curve and went into the
westbound lanes. He overcorrected, causing the Jeep to spin again -- this
time off the road into a tree.
Oviedo High Principal Bobby Lundquist said the school will bring in
counselors Monday.
Word of the accident spread quickly throughout Oviedo in the hours after the
crash. Friends gathered at the scene in the middle of the night to console
one another. Dozens of friends visited the families.
At the Jarzynka home on T------- Drive, friends and family remembered a
friendly, generous young man with a strong Christian faith.
"He was a kid with a smile on his face a lot," said Dan L-------, whose
17-year-old son, J.T., was Zac's best friend.
Dan and J.T. L----- and Zac all spent spring break touring colleges in the
Carolinas. The boys had hoped to attend Anderson College, a Baptist
liberal-arts college in South Carolina. Zac dreamed of eventually going into
hotel management and becoming a chef.
"He was a kid that nobody had anything against," L------- said. "If you knew
him, you liked him."
Zac had wrestled, run cross country and played lacrosse at Oviedo High. He
participated in youth activities at Metro Church of Christ in Oviedo, which
his family had attended for years.
Coach Jay Getty remembered how in his sophomore year, Zac stopped racing at
a cross-country state championship so he could run next to Joe Mott, a
senior teammate who had injured himself and was lagging behind. When the two
finally reached the finish line, Zac let Joe cross before him.
"He basically gave up his race," said Getty, who called Zac's sacrifice
"probably one of the greatest displays of sportsmanship I've seen as a coach
in 12 years at Oviedo High School."
Zac had planned to be at a wrestling meet in Palm Beach this weekend, but he
had to give up those plans after injuring himself at a national tournament
in Delaware two weeks before.
Zac and his family -- parents Tom and Melinda and older brother Jakob, who
attends Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers -- were extremely close
to Sammy Hughes, the Oviedo High football player paralyzed at a game in
2000. The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, people make
donations to a trust fund for Hughes at Bank of America.
Zac and Brittany met at a friend's birthday party.
Smith said her granddaughter made mostly A's in school.
The lifelong Central Florida resident was a junior-varsity cheerleader and
was involved in youth activities at First Baptist Church of Oviedo, Smith
said. As Smith talked about her granddaughter, Brittany's mother, Kelly,
sobbed in the background.
Oviedo High cheerleading coach Ginny Welch described Brittany as "just such
a wonderful and positive young lady."
She had three siblings -- sister Heather, 18, a senior at Oviedo High and a
cheerleader; and brothers Brock, 11, and Matthew, 5. She also is survived by
her father, Timothy.
Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel
Janet
for family, friends and schoolmates.
I'll be keeping their parents and families in my prayers, as well as all
those poor kids who have to come to terms with a great loss at such a young
age.
Thank you for taking the time to fill us in.
Janet
"DiWitt" <DiW...@NOSPAMcfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:Tw5x8.283909$K52.45...@typhoon.tampabay.rr.com...
Maybull2
Char
"Remember, I'm pulling for ya'.
We're all in this together." Red Green
KRopos
peers.
Kate Send in the clowns
I will not drag you along; I will not leave you alone; I will stand
by you and have my hand there for you to hold when you need it.
Rose B
My condolances to all.
Rose
DeeTee
Prayers are on their way even as I type.
DeeTee
Donna Holt
And with you, Diane. When my son was in high school,one of his closet
friends committed suicide. There was absolutely nothing I could do to
help him except be there when he was ready. It didn't take long before
Mike was ready to share with us and mostly all we did was listen and
let him cry.It's bringing tears to my eyes now, remembering that
terrible period in our lives.
Diane, please care for yourself, too. Donnah
Nann Bell
illnesses. I well remember what an impact it has at that age.
My thoughts and prayers are with all those who knew and loved Zac and
Brittany.
--
Nann
cut the Gator cheer to email me
I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells. - Dr Seuss
Newsgroup Spambuster
Oh, Diane, how very tragic!!! Prayers for all involved in this
tremendous loss!!!
Donna G
Mary Zuschlag
DiW...@NOSPAMcfl.rr.com says...
> I just had to share this with you all. Now you know why I haven't been
> posting too much. Here's the newpaper article that tells a little more
> about them. I know you will keep their families in your prayers. As
> always, thanks for listening. So Sad.
>
>
it takes a tragedy before those teenagers will really listen, it is a
hard and sad lesson. Sorry for the loss. -- MZ
--
Visit my website:
http://www.mzuschlag.com
Luyenne
Brittany are in my prayers as are your son and all of their friends. It is a
terrible tragedy.
Donna
Alex Barna
{{{{{{All those left behind}}}}}}
GramPaHugs,
Alex,
DiWitt wrote:
>
> Hello all. I just have to write about this.
> I know you will keep their families in your prayers. As
> always, thanks for listening. So Sad.
>
> Cyberhugs...DianeW
> *****************
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DiWitt
been so hard here. Yesterday was the viewing and I think it was the hardest
so far on the kids. Even with the grief counselors at the school, they are
still very traumatized by the time they get home from school. That look on
Nick's face when he walks in the door. Totally drained. Very shock like.
The anticipation of the viewing last night had everyone all keyed up.
Combine the anxiety of the event itself with the normal teenage angst over
"what should I wear" and "what do you mean you're coming with me. No one
else's Mom is going" Lots of angry kids now. Nick and his best buddy
friend Megan were yelling at each other. Yelling at the Mom's. Very hard
to stay patient with them even though you know that what they are doing is
driven by pain and grief. We finally got the kids to understand that the
Mom's felt it was important to be there for them even if they didn't want us
there and promised them we would stay in the background. Which we did. The
viewing was open casket, both in one room. The hallway leading up was
filled with photos and memorabilia of Zac and Brittany's young lives. Quite
touching. I was very upset to see how many kids -- boys especially - came
out of the viewing in such bad shape, shaking, crying, etc and no one there
for them. One boy in particular looked around for anyone he knew and in not
finding someone went over to the building and put his face against the brick
and sobbed. I went to him and held him and he held on to me with all his
might. I have no idea who he was, but he was the reason why kids still
needed their Mom's there...just in case. Nick admitted when we got home that
it was a lot harder than he thought it was going to be. The car was full of
silent kids all the way home except for the strains of the song "Last Kiss"
which I'm sure you remember from when we were teens (most of us oldster's
anyway!). It's been redone and the kids are playing it over and over again
along with Greenday's song Time of Your Life (not the real name but you know
the one I mean) The whole experience is so very very heartbreaking. But
the kids are immersing themselves in it as only teenagers can do which is, I
think, a good thing. They are definitely allowing the feelings to come out.
Even encouraging it.
The funeral home, one of the most prestigious in the area, was ill prepared
for the 1000+ people who attended. Another schools cheerleading team
attended as well as a few other schools wresting teams. It took two hours
for us to get from the end of the line thru the viewing room and when we
left the line was still just as long, even though the viewing was supposed
to have been over by then. And of course, so many kids there without parents
providing proper protocol instruction held things up as well. The
cheerleaders from our school stayed in front of Brit's casket for a good 45
minutes at least, sobbing and holding on to each other, which really slowed
things down. The funeral home should have really arranged a two day or
split session viewing for the school and the families. I really don't think
they have ever had to deal with something of this magnitude before. There
were no chairs, no "parlor" type room. Only two park benches on either side
of the front door which were really more for decoration. Oh well, live and
learn. I guess it's a good thing they haven't had something like this to
learn from before. And with God's grace, they won't have to again, anytime
soon.
Today at 11 is Brit's Funeral followed by Zac's at 4. It's going to be a
long long day. It appears Nick got some sleep last nigh as he is still in
the bed. But the phone started ringing at 7 from his friends that were up
already and needing to talk. I think I'll plan on having anyone back to the
house for lunch after Brit's funeral. I'm not sure yet....maybe that or
Chili's for lunch. Something to keep the kids together and a bit low key.
Sorry for the rambling. Thanks for listening.
--
Cyberhugs,
DianeW
"Mary Zuschlag" <mzus...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.172fbd46b...@news.fu-berlin.de...
Maybull2
You are NOT rambling. You are holding yourself and your kid together, with
bubble gum and guts. A really tough job, and you are doing it beautifully. My
hat's off to you kiddo.
Please come here and vent anytime you need to. And if we can help in ANY WAY,
please let us know.
Nann Bell
> long long day. It appears Nick got some sleep last nigh as he is still in
> the bed. But the phone started ringing at 7 from his friends that were up
> already and needing to talk. I think I'll plan on having anyone back to the
> house for lunch after Brit's funeral. I'm not sure yet....maybe that or
> Chili's for lunch. Something to keep the kids together and a bit low key.
>
It has to be so very difficult for everyone going through this. You are
doing a wonderful thing in being available not only for your kids, but for
the others who need you as well. You are giving them the gift of yourself at
an time when they really need someone.
DeeTee
never will know any of the kids involved...on either side of this.
However, anyone who has ever raised a child can empathize with all of
you at this time. Some of us have had to experience this kind of
thing first hand. Some, thank God, never will. But we can all pray
and love - please know that we do.
DeeTee
DiWitt
funeral today - 2 hours and about 500 folks - and then took a gang of kids
to Steak and Shake for lunch. They decided to forgo the cemetery part.
Which I think was a good idea. When it came time for the second funeral for
Zac, they decided they had enough. They didn't know Zac except in passing,
if at all, as he was a junior. They had completed the process and started
laughing again and for some, eating again. They had closure. I think it
was a good decision for them. Tonight they all went to the championship
Lacrosse Game our team had not qualified for on Friday night before the car
accident. Life seems back to normal. I'm sure we'll see signs pop up now
and again. I'll have to keep my eyes on Nick but it's over now. It's been
a long long week and it's only hump day.
On a cheerier note - I just spoke with Kathy and Dale a little while ago and
will be meeting them for lunch tomorrow. I'm hoping to take my digital
camera with me so I can put up some pics of our meeting. We may not be
making it to gimpfest but hey.....we're going to Disney! I'm going to use
one of my passes if only for lunch and a short part visit. Can't wait to
meet them!
--
Cyberhugs,
DianeW
"Maybull2" <mayb...@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20020424112956...@mb-cn.aol.com...
DiWitt
just can't imagine.
--
Cyberhugs,
DianeW
"DeeTee" <ke...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c59a355c.02042...@posting.google.com...
Alex Barna
The loss of a child of any age is something that I would hope/pray that no parent
would ever have to experience. I have lost my grandparents, my parents, many friends,
but nothing has compared to pain of the loss of my son.
http://home.mn.rr.com/apbiii/dean.html
GramPaHugs,
Alex,
--
Tina Underwood
>The loss of a child of any age is something that I would hope/pray that no
>parent
>would ever have to experience. I have lost my grandparents, my parents, many
>friends,
>but nothing has compared to pain of the loss of my son.
{{{{{{{{{{{{Alex}}}}}}}}}}}} In less than a week it will be the 10 year
anniversary of my brother's death. My parents have never been the same.
~KJ
Akron, Ohio
http://arthritisinsight.com
Knowledge is power...support is essential.
Tina's eBay Auctions
Plus Size and Vintage Clothing
http://www.fadedjeans.com/tina/
Patty
I'm so sorry for your son and his friends. There's nothing sadder than the
death of a child.
My son David (16) lost 2 of his friends, a week apart, in January. Nikki was
15 when she died of osteosarcoma complications. Mike was 19 and died in a
motorcycle accident. I, like you, was so torn up and so surprised by how many
parents did not come with their children to the funeral home. These kids were
so lost and so alone. It was so hard on them.
David did something that helped his friends and himself with their grief. It
provided something nice to give to the parents at the same time. He got some
pastel colored 8x10 paper and handed it out to his friends. He asked that they
each write a memory they had of either Nikki or Mike and give it back to him
when they were done. He spiral bound the pages together after adding a cover
with their names and a beautiful poem. He then presented the books to Nikki's
and Mike's parents. The kids enjoyed reliving their memories and giving
something of themselves that might help their friend's parents. It really
helped their grieving process. And, the parents were so very touched to know
the specific ways their children had been loved by their friends. Maybe
something like this would help Nick and his friends as well?
I know that your love and guidance will get your son through this difficult
time. I'm sending prayers for peace and strength for all of you.
-----------------------------------
Be well, Patty
*~A friend is someone who reaches out for your hand, and touches your heart.~*
Aim
You sure have a way with words, lady.
What she said.
Aim
Who HAS been there, and will tell the story tomorrow perhaps. Today is running
short on time and I have a date.
Jim Morgan
>Hello all. I just have to write about this. It's been a very rough weeked
>here and this next week will be as well. Two popular teens at my son's high
>school were killed in a car accident.
We went through a similar incident earlier this year.
My heart just screams whenever I hear about things like this.
Here's a little article on our's....
ConnectIndiana.com 8/23/2001
Teen killed in accident
GREENVILLE
A four-car collision on Hwy. 150 in Greenville killed one New Albany
girl and injured seven others last night.
According to the Floyd County Police, Kathryn Belcher, 15, was killed
instantly when a car rear-ended the motorcycle she was riding on with
her father. The motorcycle then ran into two other cars in a chain
reaction that sent six people to Floyd Memorial Hospital and Health
Services and one was stat-flighted to University Hospital.
Apparently, there was a car waiting to take a left turn, one car
behind that, the motorcycle behind that and another car just
rear-ended the motorcycle and caused a chain reaction, Lt. Frank Loop
with the FCPD said.
Dennis Belcher, who was driving the motorcycle, was stat-flighted to
University Hospital and police say he sustained non-life threatening
injuries. Five other people who were in the three remaining cars were
taken to Floyd Memorial.
All six of the people that were taken in to us last night were treated
and released, Julie Garrison, a representative with FMH, said.
According to Loop, Holly Renn was driving the car that rear ended the
motorcycle. Neither Kathryn or her father were wearing helmets.
Investigators also said alcohol and drugs didn’t play a factor in the
accident. However, they said speed was a factor. No charges have been
filed.
Kathryn, also known as Katie, was a student at Hazelwood Junior High
in New Albany. Greg Balmer, Floyd County Coroner, said her death will
likely be ruled as the result of multiple traumatic injuries.
We had officers out most of the night taking care of it, Loop said.
It kept them out there pretty late, helping out.
Author - Jennifer Bland
New Albany Tribune
ConnectIndiana.com, All rights reserved
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DiWitt
to do exactly this. They were like big sticky notes and then they had large
3 sided posters with a picture of either Zac or Brit in the middle of them
and the people could write their message and put it on the poster. In
addition to that, there are several memorial web sites that take messages
for the family. One is legacy.com which works thru major newspaper
obituaries and the other is a website run by the funeral home. They also
had huge banners at the school for the kids to write on. Great ideas.
--
Cyberhugs,
DianeW
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