Farewell to two angels

It can't be easy for a parent to lose a child. It is almost impossible for me to find words to describe such loss. As I sit here, I know of two families who must be experiencing heart wrenching emotions. Sasha, my daughter, shared this heartbreaking news with me : two teenagers passed away yesterday. One was a Grade 11 classmate of Riko, my nephew and the other girl was the sister of one of his other classmates,Spencer.

 

This morning when I picked up my nephews for school, Riko was armed with a bunch of white flowers. These flowers were for his friend and classmate, Savannah, and for Kirsten, the sister of his dear friend. He was going to lay this down in the Garden of Remembrance at their school, Bergvliet High school.

 

Usually my car is bubbling with conversations of all kinds, with music blaring and we often participate in the KFM general knowledge quiz. Today the mood was subdued. My three teenager passengers were probably dealing with their own swirling thoughts. I was too scared to say something, in case I intruded into their private, intimate spaces. As we crawled up Roscommon Road bridge, I ventured to ask Riko how he was feeling.

 

"I don't know. Can't explain it", Riko said. I looked at him through the rear view mirror and saw the pain and confusion.

 

Riko's response was complete, it was the whole truth. It made sense. How does one process such overwhelming grief as young people, as family, as a school community?

 

I liked the one-liner that Ashley Fredericks, my social worker colleague, sent me today at 15:57: Ps:46:10.

 

To the parents of Savanna Walker and Kirsten Schultz: our deepest condolences for the loss of your beautiful girls. I respectfully pass on Ps 46:10 to you and your beloved ones.

 

 

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