Graduation sadness

Is it me or have you noticed, every year at Graduation time, there are about 3 or more deaths of young students that either are or are going to graduate? Is it that they are preoccupied with the parties or the grades or what is it? We just lost an Oak Creek high school student yesterday, he was to graduate tomorrow. I don't know if he was at fault or the other guy and it was at noonish so I hardly think alcohol played a part on either side. Not saying it couldn't have but not likely. How sad it is any time for this to happen but then add the graduation to it. "yes we have to cancel the party, we lost our child yesterday" Yes we are planning a funeral instead, so keep your gifts and send flowers. I can't imagine the terrible ripping out of your heart and soul when you lose a child. How awful it must be, no matter what the tragedy of how they were taken, a loss is a loss. I guess in the pecking order of things we don't want to lose anyone but we know our grandparents are old, our parents are old, it is the "normal" progress. But when we loose a young life and of course it is always the good kid, it isn't the serial killer to be...not that that would make any difference to a parent, it is still their child. How would you cope with this? I don't want to experience it, my heart goes out to anyone that has. Are these parents of this young man going to attend graduation? Will his friends stop by and sooth the parents or will this cause a hint of jealousy that it was him and not you. What do you say to someone? I worked with a guy on third shift and he got THE call. Your son has been in an accident, we are here to take you to the hospital. Not a good sign when the cops pick you up at work. His son died and I believe he had just graduated. It shook us all to the core. I remember my own son was in Jr. high, at that moment, I so wanted to hold him in my arms to know he was alright. We were all scared, it could have been one of us, it could have been our child. And then the sigh of relief, it wasn't....is that mean??? Is that wrong to think you dodged the bullet? I feel so bad for these parents and the kids friends, it is a hard lesson in life. We have to remember to give our kids a hug when we can. My mother used to say "always kiss each other goodbye you never know if it the last time you'll see someone?" sounds gruesome but the last time I saw my dad, I kissed him goodbye and was walking them to the car, when I turned and said "Hey where's my kiss?" he said "you already kissed me!" I kissed his other cheek and said "Oh this is to even it out!!" he died a day later, but I remember my kissing him on both cheeks, to even it out!!!

I wanted to add that there was another victim in this accident, it was a 53 year old man. I wasn't being unsympathetic in his families loss. It was just the fact that this young life was lost on his graduation. My heart goes out to both families.