Ryan
Today is April 17th, 2010. It has been 1 year since my friend Ryan Hard died in a tragic car crash. My parents were here this past week and this morning I was driving them to the airport to catch the 1:10pm American Eagle flight. This morning when I drove to the airport the weather was almost the same as last year (cloudy and raining). Becky and I were on our way to the airport. We were going to Kentucky for the Honor Choir concert. Mike had called to tell me that Ryan was killed in a car crash early in the morning. I didn’t believe what I was hearing and I asked Becky to pull over while I tried to process what was being said. We decided to travel to Kentucky and we came back in 24 hours.
Ryan was only 20 years old and Mike and I had been around him for 7 years. We consider his parents some of our closest friends. Ryan spent a fair amount of time at our house eating, playing pool, and watching movies with us. I worked with Ryan with tennis. Howard took Ryan and I water skiing during the summer. Ryan would ask us to take him snow skiing in Colorado. We never made it to Colorado but did ski behind our truck in the neighborhood after an ice storm. He was a handsome, thoughtful, hardworking and an animal lover. He was a mature young man who enjoyed listening to what adults had to say and thus he was popular with the adults in our community.
I have to admit that I am still angry about losing him. I don’t really think I should feel that way. I know he is in a better place. He will never grow old and he will never be sick. When my Grandmother died it was a relief because of the state of her health. She was living for 5 years with pain and without much quality of life. Ryan had his whole life in front of him. I personally think he would have done some great things.
I recently turned 40 and I am feeling some loss of my youth. My parents are 70. That just doesn’t seem right. They still seem so young and driven. They get around well and seem to be in good health. I am starting to hug them longer and harder. I don’t want to live life with regrets. I want to live, love and laugh as much as possible. I know that part of life is the feeling of loss. My time spent with Ryan makes me a better person. Because of his loss, I have learned to value the people who are in my life. But yet, I still feel that anger because he is gone. I was blessed to know him and I will never forget him.
Ryan was only 20 years old and Mike and I had been around him for 7 years. We consider his parents some of our closest friends. Ryan spent a fair amount of time at our house eating, playing pool, and watching movies with us. I worked with Ryan with tennis. Howard took Ryan and I water skiing during the summer. Ryan would ask us to take him snow skiing in Colorado. We never made it to Colorado but did ski behind our truck in the neighborhood after an ice storm. He was a handsome, thoughtful, hardworking and an animal lover. He was a mature young man who enjoyed listening to what adults had to say and thus he was popular with the adults in our community.
I have to admit that I am still angry about losing him. I don’t really think I should feel that way. I know he is in a better place. He will never grow old and he will never be sick. When my Grandmother died it was a relief because of the state of her health. She was living for 5 years with pain and without much quality of life. Ryan had his whole life in front of him. I personally think he would have done some great things.
I recently turned 40 and I am feeling some loss of my youth. My parents are 70. That just doesn’t seem right. They still seem so young and driven. They get around well and seem to be in good health. I am starting to hug them longer and harder. I don’t want to live life with regrets. I want to live, love and laugh as much as possible. I know that part of life is the feeling of loss. My time spent with Ryan makes me a better person. Because of his loss, I have learned to value the people who are in my life. But yet, I still feel that anger because he is gone. I was blessed to know him and I will never forget him.
Alma worked for Floyd County Home Health and made house calls. Alma was taking care of a lady at your parents house for a while she thinks it was Judy's mother. That must be the one you are writing about. sorry for your loss.
ReplyDelete