Ten years ago today something awful happened. It was Easter Sunday, and we had been home to celebrate with my family. We came back home and went to church here - as I am fairly certain I had nursery duty. My friend told me once I got to church that one of our students had been in a motorcycle wreck and things did not look good. We continued to get updates and the news never got better. Dustin Chitwood. That was his name. He was charming and funny and had a heart full of love - for everyone. I have had the joy of knowing a bunch of students in the last 15 years and very few of them are loved by everyone. Dustin was. He wore flip-flops all the time. He smiled no matter what was going on in his world. I remember that he came to my class one Tuesday morning when he was a sophomore with his knee swollen up like crazy after a JV football game the night before. He smiled when I expressed my concern. He was an office aide his senior year during 5th period. I had psychology that hour - and the class was full of some of his best friends. He would stick his head in almost daily. Everyone loved Dustin. But ten years ago today, he was adjusting his helmet at a stoplight. The light turned green and he sped off to catch up with his friends. He wrecked and then he left us. I will tell you, even now, that the following week was the hardest week of my teaching career. His accident and death devastated so many of us. And every year on April 20th I think about him.
The Sweet
(I also read that today is Shemar Moore's birthday, so the day can't be all bad.)
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