A tough week

 This week has been one of the toughest weeks as a parent. 

Last Friday, we learned that a close friend of kylans was in a terrible ski accident. We went through a series of up and downs as we learned he was placed in a medically induced coma and we awaited scans to determine the extent of brain injury. Waiting for news ... Getting pieces of news ... I can't imagine what that boy's family went through. We faced this tragedy on the other side. While I knew the boy, and would tease him in the halls at school or say hi, I never thought this sort of tragedy could occur. Who does?! We looked it up online. There are only 40 deaths per year in the United States due to skiing. This is compared to 38,000 car accident deaths. How crazy!  

On Tuesday, we received word that there would not be a recovery. We attended a prayer service, where everybody knew the finality of the situation. The young man wanted to be an organ donor so he stayed on life support through Friday when everything was finished.  ( By the way, what 15-year-old knows they want to be an organ donor and verbalizes it to friends and family?) 

Following this roller coaster of emotions through your child grieving is one of the hardest things I have experienced as a parent. You don't know how to be there for your kid. You don't want to see them hurt. Their hurt is your hurt.  There is nothing you can do, as the reality of life --its shortness and finality hits them so hard.  If I could go back, I would have encouraged Ky to take pics of his friends.  His lack of pics is really hitting him hard.  I have a few from soccer.  So many games, yet I too took few pics.  

On Wednesday, many of this young man's friends came over and hung out at our house as the news was given to the school. I am glad we were able to provide a place for them to come together and support each other.  We continue to encourage Ky to get together with his friends as much as possible. Together, they had this strong relationship with this young man. They sat with him at lunch every day, competed with him on the fields, hung out at his house, partnered with him in classes, lived life with him.  I think them being together and honoring this young man, his memory and figuring out how to rebuild their friendships without him is the best way they can heal.  

School has been so hard this week. It's been hard for to go to class and sit next to the empty chair where his friend once was.  To go to the cafeteria and have that empty spot at the table.  To miss all the wild antics this friend brought every day.

This young man knew how to live life to the fullest and he pushed his friends to do so.  I continue to believe that there is purpose in every person who comes into my life and everyone else's. I do believe Alex's purpose was to push others to the next level, to set that example of taking life by the horns and doing your best to fully live every moment.  To be able to walk away from each experience knowing you put your all in it.

Next week we push on. For Alex and for ourselves. He would want that.