Author Topic: Introducing Our Precious Children  (Read 203825 times)

Dena

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Introducing Our Precious Children
« on: December 11, 2006, 06:32:33 PM »
This thread is for all parents to share their children's stories and photographs

John-Danielle Marie's Daddy

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children-Danielle Marie Plourde
« Reply #1 on: December 11, 2006, 08:11:53 PM »
Our Daughter, Danielle Marie Plourde
January 4, 1995 – February 20, 2006
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Danielle was born on a VERY cold January 4th in 1995 in Hartford, Connecticut.
To the proud parents of John & Bernice Plourde, she was a perfect, healthy and beautiful baby girl with dark hair and blue eyes. She was very happy baby and loved her big brother. Danielle was very curious about EVERYTHING she had so many what and why questions as a young toddler. Danielle LOVED to have stories read to her and became an excellent reader also. She LOVED to read to her younger cousins as they stared at her in awe. She loved other babies and was a “little mother” to all her cousins born after her helping to bath, change, dress and even helping their mommies feed them. There was ALWAYS a favorite doll that Danielle would “practice” her mommy skills on. Danielle had the unique distinction of being the ONLY little girl in our family. Both her aunts had only boys (6 in all). Danielle NEVER let that bother her; she LOVED to get just as rough and dirty as her cousins and brother. She also had a very special love for her family. She was a true light in our lives.
Danielle made instant friends with any other child she met. She loved the outdoors and was a true nature lover (except for those pesky bees). She enjoyed outdoor sports from a very early age and played TBall, soccer, swimming, basketball and then found her true love playing girls softball. She was an excellent player and a true teammate.
Danielle was an excellent student who had a gift for reading, history and LOVED math. She received all A’s and B’s during her 5 years in grammar school. She continued developing her reading skills and was a reading buddy to her younger schoolmates. She was active in her school community becoming a very good violin player and being elected to the advanced orchestra. She never minded practicing and enjoyed playing music with her friends. She loved to dance in her basement family room with a couple of her closest friends and sing along with her Karaoke machine. She also loved to play the electronic keyboard that her uncle David gave to her.
Danielle loved spending time with her Girl Scout troop. She was very active in every event and community service project that she could participate in. She advanced in her skills as a person and as a young lady.
Danielle enjoyed spending time with her family. Each holiday was very special when our family would be together and Danielle and her cousins had a good time and were all exhausted at the end of the day. Danielle’s life was full of laughter, love and adventure. She was a very special young lady, loved and cherished by many. Danielle Marie was a fun loving, happy young lady who was talented and succeeded in any task or challenge that she would take on.
On February 20th, 2006 at 11 years and 47 days old, our precious and life-loving daughter, Danielle Marie died at 10:59am in an automobile collision in Sturbridge, MA. She died of a massive traumatic head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene. My wife and son (13) were also in our SUV, which was broadsided by a tractor-trailer who lost control after being hit by a car who went through the intersection. My wife was critically injured (head injury) spent several days in the hospital and is since recovering at home. My son was not injured in the accident (physically). The truck driver was arrested at the scene for DUI. Though he has not been charged in relation to the death of Danielle.
Her family will NEVER share the experience of watching her grow into a teen, graduate high school, mature into a young adult and finally a wonderful, loving woman. We will never experience the joy of helping guide her through her life, answering her questions, supporting and helping her through the “growing pains” that we all must face. We will never watch her experience the happiness and heartbreak of falling in love; perhaps getting married and becoming a mother and raising her own children. Our future with our beloved daughter was RECKLESSLY AND ABRUPTLY STOLEN from us that terrible day.
On Saturday March 25, 2006 we said our final goodbyes to our beautiful, wonderful, young daughter as we buried her. Danielle Marie was a huge part of our lives, which was taken away that day and can never be replaced. We will miss Danielle Marie each and every day forever.

News Article:
Connecticut girl killed, mother injured in multi-vehicle accident
February 21, 2006
STURBRIDGE, Mass. --An 11-year-old Southington, Conn., girl was killed and her mother was among three people injured in a three-vehicle collision that closed off Route 49 for 4 1/2 hours, police said.
The girl and her mother, who was reported in critical condition at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, were not immediately identified. Also treated for injuries and released were a 13-year-old brother of the dead girl, and a woman driving another car involved in Monday's wreck.
Sturbridge police Lt. Thomas J. Ford III said the driver of a tractor-trailer rig involved in the crash, John Broyles, 49, of Webster, was not injured, but was arrested on a charge of drunken driving. Ford said it is not known if alcohol was a contributing factor in the accident.
The accident, involving an SUV carrying the Connecticut family, the tractor-trailer and the car, occurred about 11 a.m. at the intersection of Route 49 and Putnam Road.
While few details of the crash were known, Ford said the semi, owned by Central Transport Inc. of Oklahoma City, Okla., was heading north on Route 49, and the SUV was heading south on the same highway, Ford said. The car, driven by Jessica Matasavage, 24, of North Brookfield, was driving onto Route 49, Ford said.
The tractor-trailer unit ended up on its side.

Wishing You All Continuous Comfort & Peace,
John-Danielle Marie’s Daddy
1/4/95-2/20/06 (head trauma-motor vehicle accident)
“Her friendship was an inspiration, her love a blessing”

starynyte

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #2 on: December 11, 2006, 08:28:39 PM »
Name: Chris ~Christopher Malcolm

Birth date: 8.18.83

Death date: 7.21.03

Age at time of death: 19

Cause of death: murder, stabbed in his heart during a fight that I believe was over defending his girlfriend.

Interests/Hobbies: Chris loved to write songs, listen to music, cook, play basketball, football, video games, rollerblade, fishing, camping, hiking, turtle hunting, talking on the phone to girls, and sleeeeeep :)

Favorite things: Steamed Maryland crabs, chocolate mousse, any kind of juice, attention-mainly from girls, hip-hop, turtles, and he LOVED to make people laugh, he was a true comedian!

Things he/she said, sayings, quotes: snap!, dude, YO
Chris was never a fighter in the physical violent sense, although he was a fighter when it came to life in general. He struggled his whole life with insomnia, depression, ADHD, and the pain of never having a father who cared about him. He was a true friend to many, offering love, support and guidence. No matter how tough life was, or how many times he stumbled, Chris never gave up. He had an old soul, and understood certain things about life that most children wouldn't. Chris was my best friend. He loved me unconditionaly, took care of me when I was sick, and was always there to make me laugh when I needed to the most. We could argue like cats and dogs [being so much alike] then be wrestling and tickling the next minute.

His life here made such an impact on those that love him, left it's mark on many who never knew him, and his spirit lives on to continue.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2006, 06:13:02 AM by Cherri ~Chris's Mom »

sykeller (Ray's mom)

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2006, 09:20:35 PM »
Ray was my beloved, first born, son.  He was noble, kind, gentle loving, intelligent, and erudite, a natural poet.  We left his father when he was very young.  I raised him as a single parent and took great pleasure in his company.  He was hard working and never failed to demonstrate his love for me, his sister, Angela, and his little brother, James.  He fell in love with Catherine Kelly, a woman he met on the internet.  She pretended to have cancer; he became the care-taker, wanting to heal the wounded bird.  He trusted her and she deceived him, she became pregnant, gave birth to a beautiful little boy, my grandson.  She manipulated him, using the child to gain whatever she could from him.  By the time they split, she had managed to drain our (mine and Ray’s) joint money market account of two hundred thousand dollars, ruined our credit and left a trail of bad checks with his name on them.  The night he told me of this was the night he took his life.  I have not seen her or my grandson since that date.  To make matters worse, because he was still legally married, she was allowed to claim his body.  She had him cremated and shipped to another state via FedEx.  We had a service, with no body.  We have no place to grieve, except inside ourselves.  In spite of everything, even having known how everything would end, I am privileged for having been his mother.  I took these words from Wadsworth’s letter after the death of his six-year old son:

“I loved the boy with the utmost love of which my soul is capable and he is taken from me—yet in the agony of my spirit in surrendering such a treasure, I feel a thousand times richer than if I had never possessed it.”




http://ray-guerrero.memory-of.com/

Brun~Jims~ mom

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2006, 11:43:04 PM »
It hasn't been quite 2 years since Jim found out he had testicular cancer. A year ago he had a 9 1/2 hour surgery to remove the cancer. We were told chemo was ineffective for this type of cancer.
This Spring they put Jim on chemotherapy....Why ? I'll never know !
On April 20,2004 he finished his chemo, being hopeful, but never telling me of all the misery which went with chemo, only not to worry me.
On April 24th,2004 he was taken to the hospital.....unresponsive. He had full blown pneumonia and toxicity caused by the chemotherapy He was on life support. For 3 days he seemed to improve then we found he had had a massive stroke.... and a viral pneumonia on top of the one he already had. Jim never left the hospital again. _ WHY ??

               
               I Love You , Jim
« Last Edit: December 14, 2006, 03:52:15 PM by Brun~Jims~ mom »

Briarly, James' Mommy

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My Angel Baby
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2006, 04:24:35 PM »
I finally made it over to the new board.  Fought it for a while, but find that I really need to be here.
We lost my precious son, James, following the premature rupture of my membranes during an amniocentesis.  I was 23 weeks pregnant.  James was born at 2:41pm on July 18, 2005.  He spent 19 minutes with my husband and I until he could hold on no longer.
On August 2 of this year, James sent his baby sister, Jenna to us... safely.  She reminds us of him in so many ways - yet can never replace him.
We love and miss him so very much.  Every day is a struggle.

I still need you all so very much.
Briarly, James' Mommy
"Most people dream of angels, I held one in my arms"

Valerie (Kyle's Mom)

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2006, 06:47:09 AM »
James "Kyle" Berry, born May 19, 1983, became an angel on May 02, 2006.
Kyle father (Jim) and I were married in 1978, we waited five years to begin a family.  The day I found out I was pregnant was one of the happiest days of my life.  I gained 50 pounds during those 9 months, but that didn't stop me from eating thos doritos.  lol
My water broke on the 19th of May at 8:00 in the morning, they say that you shouldn't take a shower, but I did before I went to the hospital...Kyle was so large (9.9lbs)
so my labor wasn't as long as some, he was born at  2:11 pm that day...with long dark hair with blonde highlights running through it.  The nurses said they never seen hair like that, and I had to start trimming it some at 6 weeks because it was in his eyes, and many thought he was a girl, especially with those long eyelashes.
He was such an easy baby to take care of, always hungry, but he would sleep through the night after a few months and take 2 hour naps through the day.  When he began crawling you would have to watch him so close, then he began walking at almost 10 months.  So fearless, and so ready to take on the world.  I worked at an eye clinic when Kyle was a 1 1/2 years old, being around other children who worse glasses, I knew what to look for if their eye sight wasn't very good, and I noticed one of Kyle's eyes turning in some, so my boss checked his eyes at that age, and we found out he was very farsighted and had a lazy eye because of it, so at 18 months my baby was wearing glasses with one lens coated over the good eye to help strengthen the weak eye.  When school started, I started getting notes and phone calls from his teacher telling me Kyle was always disrupting the class, wasn't able to stay on task, and any sound, like a pencil dropping would take him off task.  So we went to a child phycologist, who tested him in depth and diagnosis him with ADHD..they prescribed ritalin, which helped him through out school.
But, he was one who just didn't like books and sitting still, he felt inferior to the other kids, thought he was stupid, and I as a mother worried about him so, constantly having him tutored and constantly trying to build him up.  He realized as he gotten older that he was gifted in other areas, he could take something apart that was so complex and put it back to together in no time, so I continued to praise him on the gifts he had and as he approached his late teen years he was called upon by so many of his friends to help them repair anything they had, from stereos to their car motors, they rented a storage building and worked on their cars and trucks sometimes all through the night, and then sleep until 3:00 in the afternoon on the weekends.  He also was an avid golfer, with a natural and graceful swing, I use to take him to all the tournaments and walk along side, and at times hurt when he was struggling through a tough round.  His dream was to own his own motorcycle repair business, so when I met Philip and decided to move to Florida, Kyle and his girlfriend of 3 years decided to move along with us so he could attend MMI (motorcycle mechanic Int.) in Orlando, Fl.  First him, Kristin and myself packed up my car and rented a car hauler and traveled the 15 hours to central florida, Kyle and I would take turns driving, we had a good time doing this, felt closer to him than I have since he was a toddler.  I thought at that time,
Thank you God for getting us through the teen years and school and helping me raise a fine young man" .  I felt so happy and I really enjoyed his company and conversations.  After I divorced his father, Kyle was sorta of my protector of sorts, well in his mind he thought he would make sure I was watched over and that no one would ever hurt me, our roles of being Mother and Son changed, and I thought it was so endearing.   After we reached Florida, Philip borrowed a truck and 24 ft. trailer, we rested 2 days and headed back to Arkansas, all 4 of us to pack all our stuff, and pack up my parents stuff so they could move in my home in Ark. 
Kyle began school in Orlando, he went to school at 6:00 pm and left at 11:30 Pm, slept for a few hours and worked at Sam's at 5:00 am.  His girlfriend was working at Sam's also and was to begin a community college soon.  I guess the pressures of life cause them to start arguing, being away from home and friends, so Kristin decided to find new friends, which left Kyle feeling angry and alone...she wanted to move out, leaving Kyle with all the bills and just $20 in his pocket.  Philip and I went to Orlando, packed up what was left in the apartment and moved him in with us.
He kept going to school, but his mind wasn't on it, he was down and depressed and wanted to leave for 6 weeks to Arkansas to spend some time with his buddies to get his mind off her..But he also didn't know if he would come back, so we packed a uhaul of his things and he drove straight through by himself back home. 
On April 19th, I received a phone call from a friend, whom I never met of Kyle's, his first words at 12:30 am was that Kyle was in a motorcycle accident, to come to the Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis right away, I told him I was in Florida and asked him if he contacted Kyle's dad and he said he couldn't get ahold of him.  I asked him if Kyle was consious...he said "Oh he's moving some, he's saying something"..all the sentences were so broken up of this young man's mouth.  I said I would call Jim, Jim answered and I told him, he said he would call me as soon as he got to the hospital...Gawd, I didn't now what to do, when you are so far away and your baby is hurt, not knowing what is happening...it was 2 hours before I received a call from Jim, he said Valerie, you need to get here...Kyle has internal bleeding..he has lost 18 units of blood already and they are searching desparately to find out where it's coming from.  I had my Dad living with me, he has alztheimers, so I called my brother in Texas to see if he would watch Dad for a month at least, because I didn't know how long I would be there, booked a flight for Dad, and booked one for Philip and I at the same time..
When the plane landed I called Jim first thing, he said they stopped the bleeding, I thought "Thank GOD"  he said to warn me that he is all swollen and to see him will frighten me, so to stay calm.  My son weighs 250 pounds, he's 6'3" tall, when I walked in that room and saw him he covered that small hospital bed, especially since he was so swollen...the doctor's said he was in extreme critical state, but he's young and strong, he has alot going for him.  You see, his pelvis was busted up, no head trauma, so right now all they were trying to do was keep him alive, not doing anything else, and to do that thay put rods in his pelvis to keep him still, not to fix them yet, and they put him a paraletic state, meaning he could probably hear, but won't be able to move or open his eyes.  Everyday I was there during every visiting time, asking questions, rubbing his head and arm, I still feel his arm to this day, how it felt so large and the skin so tight from being swollen, slowly he was losing fluids, slowly he started to look like Kyle.  His stomach was not inside him, they had  it covered with a clear plastic bag and a sheet, they were waiting for more swelling to go down so they can eventually take graphs from his thighs to cover his open belly.  After a week, they were concerned with renal failure, his potassium levels were dropping, On May 1st, they were beginning to show improvements, and if they improve to a certain level they would take him to surgery to do the graphs.  I sent Philip back the Sunday before, when the doctors said he was improving some, but not out of the woods, I was staying with a friend who lived a block from the hospital.  I was told by all the doctors that his healing will take a long time, and he might be in ICU for a month or longer, so I wasn't going to leave until he was out of the hospital.  On the morning of May 02nd, (Tuesday) I went to the hospital, they informed me that since his vitals improved that they were going to do the graph surgery that day, so I kissed my baby, and stroked his hair and told him over and over how much I loved him, I went to the waiting room, only me, and sat their talking to other parents there who had kids in ICU, I felt positive.  Finally the phone rings, the nurse said that the surgey went well and since I missed visiting hours that as soon as he is back in the room I could go see him, so at 6:00 I went in and everything looked great, they said all went well, his vitals were good.
I left and came back at 9:00, a doctor and a nurse were in the room looking at one of the machines, they said that his blood pressure was lower than they wanted, and with the surgery he lost some blood, so they were going to give him a unit of blood.  That not to worry, get some rest.
So I went to Brooks, took a sleeping pill because I could rest well, and at 12:30 am again, my cell rings it was the hospital, they wanted me to come down...I woke Brook up and she and I parked the car and when I saw the chaplain at the door and he turned and walked the other way, I felt uneasy...we walked down that long hallway to ICU, Brook buzzed them and they said to wait a minute the nurse will be there...you see, I knew he was gone, they usually just push a button and let you in...I peeked through the crack of the double doors and I saw the doctor that was there earlier, the nurse and the chaplain walking towards the door...the door opened...words were coming out of his mouth...I kept saying to myself..."Just say it" "Just tell me"...and finally he did...Everything else after that was like something took over my body to allow me to go through the motions, to go sign for the small bag of belongings that Kyle had on him...his tongue stud, his watch, some change, his wallet...I held them and looked at them and was in total disbelief....I know this is long....but I haven't told this, but once, and to go through it again was something I needed to do....Valerie
Valerie R. Patton (Kyle Berry's Mom)
http://james-.memory-of.com

Dottie (Tammie's Mom)

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2006, 12:28:49 PM »
Tammie Marie was born on August 9, 1965. I was 17 years old and we became best friends and Mom and daughter all in one day. It was the BEST day of my life.
Tammie, was an easy child to raise, I was a single parent most of her life so we were extremely close. I did everything with her. Tammie was a GREAT athlete won many awards State wide for both Tennis, Baseball and softball. Tennis she traveled with a Junior league all over. I never missed a game, or match. She did well in school but like most teenagers of course had her moments.
Tammie graduated from High school and decided to get her own apartment, she had worked from the time she was 16. So she moved out and became a responsible young adult. But we lived very close and saw each other daily and talked on the phone many times aday.
At 25 Tammie decided to go back to school, she wanted to get into Music Management. So she completed her first two years at UNLV then moved to Nashville to finish college at MTSU. She graduated at 30 with dual majors. Tammie quickly went to work for an entertainment attorney who introduced her to George Jones nephew who was trying to pursue a new career. They immediately became friends and Tammie started to represent him. SHE LOVED IT::::Met many of the stars of Country in the 90's. Went to the CMA show twice. Then she was in a car accident and they started treating her with PAIN pills. I had no idea what was happening for many years. I would ask even the doctors and they all said the treatment was needed. So you TRUST:::: ??? We had also moved to Nashville to be closer to Tammie so I saw her daily. It is unbelievable how addiction can take you over and ruin your life. Tammie became addicted to the pain meds, and fought it for almost 10 years with rehab and counseling. She hated not being in control of her life any longer. After many heart breaking  years Tammie overdosed on pain pills prescribed by a doctor that barely knew her. He gave her 190 pills , she took 30 in a 24 hour period and it stopped her breathing. she died in her sleep in her bed at home. Tammie had just started a new job, that she loved and moved into a new house. She had a new love in her life and was happier than I had seen her in years. She was in another car accident in March of 2005. A teenager with no license hit her in the side and totaled her car. Well it started all the old injuries again and without me knowing this new DR. prescribed PAIN PILLS.
Tammie was my only child. My best friend and my reason for getting up everyday. I don't know how I will ever live my life without her. Tammie died on Sept. 14, 2005. Almost exactly 6 months after the car accident. Tammie was a daughter I was always proud of, even in her addiction she was kind, and loving. No one hated the drugs more than she did. I still can't believe she is gone. My heart is BROKEN, and the VOID in my life is unbearable on most days. Thank you all for being here for me.

Dottie Tammie's PROUD Mom

Brenda(Jessica's Mom)

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2006, 01:41:04 PM »
My first born daughter Jessica was born Dec 31 1987 and died in a car crash June 22 2004. She was bright and the top of her class, and my world is forever altered becasue she left us all so young. Its too hard today to write more, but her life story is on her website if anyone hasnt already seen it it's www.jessicakaiser.com. Love to you all.

mojomomma

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2006, 04:44:41 PM »

Community Coalition Wins Funds to Help Keep Teen Drivers Safe


Northern Colorado ranks at the top of the charts in many quality of life surveys. Alarmingly, our area also holds a tragic distinction: #1 in the State for teens killed in vehicular crashes.

In 2005, Larimer County had a record number of teenage fatalities, killing 10 people age 16-20. Larimer County also has one of the lowest seat belt use rates among teenagers, coming in at 60.6% (sources: CDOT and CO State Patrol). Of those teenage crash victims admitted to the Regional Trauma Center at Poudre Valley Hospital from 2000 to 2005, 44% of the drivers were not using their seatbelts and neither were 53% of their passengers.

Joyce Trujillo wants us all to get past the statistics and remember that there is a person – and families and friends – deeply bound to every unnecessary teen motor vehicle crash death. In 2003, her 18-1/2-year-old son, Tyler Nicholas Trujillo, was killed when a car he was a passenger in went off a 20 foot embankment near Horsetooth Reservoir. The teen driver of the car had been through driver’s education and had his license for three-and-a-half weeks. “If the Graduated License Law had been in place – and enforced – this wouldn’t have happened,” Joyce says.

Joyce is now a member of the Teen Motor Vehicle Safety Coalition (TMVS) of Larimer County. The Coalition’s goal is to increase seat belt use among Larimer County teens to reduce motor vehicle crash fatalities, with emphasis on increasing awareness of and compliance with the Graduated Drivers License (GDL) law. Coalition members include Poudre Valley Hospital, law enforcement, EMS, school administration, the insurance industry, and teens and parents of teen drivers.

The TMVS Coalition recently won new, unprecedented funding from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Now, an $83,000 award will allow the Coalition to reach out to teens as well as train them to educate each other about motor vehicle safety and GDL.

For many teens, a driver’s license means freedom. No more car pools or parental pick ups and drop offs. By nature, teens are more likely to underestimate dangers in a hazardous situation and have less experience coping with those situations. The GDL is designed to help limit teens’ exposure to risks while they gradually gain driving experience.

Captain Bob Parish, a 30 year veteran of highway safety patrol and a member of the Coalition, points out that getting a driver’s license is “one of the biggest changes to occur in an individual’s lifestyle. We ask a lot of our teens when we give them responsibility for driving. We owe it to our community not to repeat the sad distinction of highest amount of teenage fatalities in car crashes.”

Dr. Chris Cribari, Trauma Medical Director at Poudre Valley Hospital, agrees. “I’m a parent and have a teenager who’s out there driving. The ultimate achievement of our trauma system would be if we could prevent the injuries and death. The efforts of the Teen Motor Vehicle Safety Coalition will help make that critical link for prevention.”

A primary goal of the Coalition is teen participation in designing its programs. A Teen Coalition subcommittee is planned; area teens will serve by a selective application process. “Teens will be involved start to finish,” says Janet Werst, Injury Prevention Specialist at PVH and project manager for the TMVS grant. “We don’t want to preach at them, we want to involve them.” The Teen Coalition will be empowered to design its own public service campaigns, plan safety awareness events, and work with other community advocates to impart change.

For Joyce, “Remembering Tyler is not about sadness, it’s life. It’s hard to talk about a crash and all the lives that are affected. But there’s always time to work for change and now we have this great grant money and the right people on board. We’ll have fun with it, get the teens involved, and have a good time.”

While teen involvement is key, parents are equally important. The Coalition will work with parents to help them understand GDL and their responsibilities to manage the safe driving experience of their teens. “Parents set the rules, and if your teens don’t comply, there should be consequences,” says Capt. Parish. The Coalition will encourage open conversation and responsibility on the part of parents and teens to choose to be safe.

Both Captain Parish and Joyce stress the benefits, rather than the perceived limits, of GDL. “This should be our gift – to say no,” says Joyce. “You have to stop and think and ask your kids about where they’ll be taking the car and who will be with them. I want people to realize GDL are not ‘suggestions’ but laws to be followed.”

“When parents sign for a permit, they also have the right – at any time up to age 18 – to rescind a permit,” reminds Parish. “We’re hoping to empower parents, as well as our teens, to understand we all have a part to play in improving teen compliance with GDL and seatbelt use.”

“This is my way of talking for Tyler,” says Joyce. “Sometimes parents talk about the ‘hassle factor’ of GDL and I ask that they consider the alternative. I don’t want any other parents to have to experience what we have gone through. Kids keep dying in crashes and they don’t have to. With the grant, I’m excited to go forward.”



“Tyler is in that grant money, saying ‘is this ok, Mom?’ That’s the part that takes my breath away. He’s still here with us in so many ways.”


What is the GDL Law?

In Colorado, GDL laws require:
• The minimum learner’s permit age is 16 unless a driver takes a drivers education course at age 15, or passes a 4-hour driver awareness course at 15 years 6 months.
• Teens must hold a learner’s permit for at least one year.
• Teens with a learner’s permit must log 50 hours of driving time with parents or driving instructors (including 10 nighttime hours), no driving for drivers under age 17 between midnight and 5 a.m.
• No passengers under age 21 until you have a driver’s license for at least six months (siblings and passengers with medical emergencies excepted).
• No more than one passenger under age 21 until you have a driver’s license for at least one year (siblings and passengers with medical emergencies excepted).
• Drivers under age 17 are restricted to only one passenger in the front seat and may only have as many passengers in the back of the car as there are seat belts. The driver and all passengers must be buckled up.
• No cell phones while driving.
(From “Think Colorado’s New Teen Driving Laws Are Tough?” brochure, available from the Colorado Department of Transportation (303)757-9453; see also www.coteendriver.com).



Interested in getting involved?



Contact Janet Werst, Injury Prevention Coordinator at 970-495-7504.
Teens, watch for opportunities in early September to apply for the Teen Subcommittee of the Teen Motor Vehicle Safety Coalition.

Brenda Taylors Mom

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2006, 07:31:33 PM »
My son Taylor Allen was born April 23rd 1990. He was such a precious baby, even though he was a boy he always got complimented on what a beautiful boy he was. From the time he was crawling he was taking cars and making the brrrmm noises, he was all boy.  He grew up a happy and carefree, loved motorized things from power wheels on up to dirt bikes and atv's. Taylor was like a magnet when it came to friends, he always had at least two over every weekend sometimes three four or five and it got pretty wild and noisey. Taylor was  very appreciative and of all he had and he valued his friends and family very much.  He was ornery and loved to play tricks on people especially his sister, April. There is fourteen years age difference between them.  Taylor was always quick to forgive and loved to give other kids things that didn't has as much as he did. My son taught me a lot about the secret of life, to lighten up and not take life so serious, to forgive, and to laugh and have fun. I'm trying Tay, I'm really trying. I love you so much Taylor, you will always be part of me forever.
Taylor and his best friend Caleb were bike riding Oct 7th 2004 when they were struck by a speeding out of control car. 
A quote from a Garth Brooks song reminds me of how I feel about Taylor's live and death.
" I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance "
I wouldn't have missed having you in my life for anything Taylor.

faye

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2006, 09:15:59 AM »
Born December 08, 1972 ~ Heaven Bound on January 07, 2006

 More About Larry
 
Larry was born in Boston, Ma. on Dec. 8, 1972.  He was a joy to us right from the beginning.  As he grew older he attended school and always graduated with honors. He was Salutatorian (sp?) of his class.    One of his teachers described him as a "teacher's dream. "  Then he was off to college.  He attended the University of Florida and again gradated with honors. He decided he would go into Chemical Engineering, and he attended Georgia Tech where he got a Masters Degree in Chemical Engineering.  He got a great job, but decided that this wasn't his cup of tea, so on he went to Berkeley College in San Francisco and got another Masters Degree in Business (his MBA).  He landed a wonderful job in Investment banking (foreign exchange) in Manhattan so off he went again.  He was loved by so many friends and colleagues as well.  He was very thoughtful and level headed and called often.  He was especially close to his Grandmother who was in an Alzheimer's Facility, and he would call her and visit whenever he came in to Florida.  She was declining very fast and so Larry was waiting for the dreaded call. 
He never got that call, because while on a business trip to London, he started to have flu-like symptoms the day before he was to leave for home.  Thinking it was just the flu he figured he would wait until he got home before seeing a doctor.  The next day he did board the plane (I didn't even know he was ill) and evidently got worse, he was short of breath, and had developed a rash all over his body.  The Paramedics were called and met the plane when it landed at JFK Airport in N.Y.  They worked on him for 45 minutes, but he was gone.  He was DOA to the hospital. He had just turned 33 in December and was in the prime of his life.   He had just bought a house and adopted a dog which he called "Pumpkin.  He was living with someone and was extremely happy.  He had everything to live for.    The call came on Saturday evening at 11:15 P.M. on Jan. 7, 2006 that Larry was very very sick.  They did not tell me that he was gone.  I have a nephew in N.Y. who had to go to the hospital to identify him.  I knew in my heart that he was gone, but was hoping against hope that he wasn't.  My nephew called to tell us he was gone.  I will never forget that call.  I was screaming and shaking all over.  He was shipped to Florida, (Ft. Lauderdale) where we had his memorial service and the burial.

How do you bury a child?  That is not the way it should be.    I miss him more than words can say, and a huge part of me died too.  My heart is broken in pieces, and there is a hole in my heart that will never heal.  My mother died two weeks after Larry, and we had to put one of our dogs down due to Cancer on the same day my Mom died.

 How does one get over the loss of a child?  I wasn't even familiar with Meningococcal Meningitis with Septicemia (blood poisoning) until I did some research on it.  I didn't know it could kill within 24-48 hours after the symptoms began. 

I am having someone walk in his memory at the annual Angel Walk and I will keep supporting Meningitis Angels until a cure or a vaccine is found.
Rest in peace my sweet boy. 

Your whole family misses you terribly, and your were loved by everyone you touched in your short life.

 Larry and Nana have flow beyond the stars, entered the gates of heaven and touched the face of God.

We will miss them but will see them again.

Tearfully,
Faye
 


 
 

JenKellisMom

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2006, 10:18:53 AM »
Kelli Lynn Carter

December 14, 1996 - May 15, 2006

Died from complications of a bone marrow transplant.

Loved to dance, cheer, ride horses and cook.  Her dream was to be a chef and one day open a restaurant for people with food allergies so that they could enjoy a meal out without having to worry about their allergies.  (Kelli had celiacs disease and therefore couldn't eat anything with gluten in it.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat.)

Kelli had combined variable immune deficiency and as a result was plagued by various medical issues most of her life, mostly having to do with her lungs.  She was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 4 and went through chemo for 3 years.  Her immune system never quite recovered from the chemo and she ended up needing a bone marrow transplant in order to give her a new immune system.

Despite her physical ailments she was a lively, vibrant kid who was always quick with a smile. She always thought she was the luckiest kid in the world because she had her friends and family, her dog Kodi and she loved her school. I NEVER let myself believe that she wouldn’t make it through the BMT.  Even in the PICU on the day she passed, I was still believing that she would pull through.

She was complicated medically, but Kelli never let that stop her. One of my biggest regrets is that there are people who will never know how smart she was, how spiritual she was, how strong she was. They won’t taste her cooking or hear her laugh.

I miss her so much and its going to be such a long life without her.

Lisa Moody

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2006, 03:47:41 PM »
Russell Alan Moody Jr.  AKA Russell Boy
Born in Waihiawa Hospital - Honolulu Hawaii December 10, 1983
Russell has 4 older brothers and one younger sister.  Russell boy was the youngest of the boys. He grew up on Kauai Hawaii and later moved to Portland, Oregon. Russell boy was full of spirit as he is today with the good lord above.  Russell boy lived a well filled life with friends and family.  On July 14, 2006 Russell Boy passed as a result of a Hit & Run Accident here in Oregon.  This day will forever shatter our lives.  Russell Boy leaves behind a daughter - Anela Moody who just turned 2 yrs old on October 28, 2006. She is a precious Little thing and very beautiful.  Russell Boy was kind and thought of everyone else especially his daughter before himself. he is deeply missed by all.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2006, 03:51:22 PM by Lisa Moody »

Lisa Moody - Russell Boys Mom
"Always Remembered - Never Forgotten"

momofwatsonx

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Re: Introducing Our Precious Children
« Reply #14 on: December 15, 2006, 09:50:36 PM »
JOSHUA LEE WATSON    AKA   WATSONX
July18.1987 -----  May 26,2006

Josh was my only son i have two daughters ages are 21 and 9.
Josh was born ed in Moody Texas were we lived until he was about 3 years old and i left his father who was abusive and a drug additive.  I worked hard to make a good home for my two children, then i meet and married Tom.   Josh always hatted his father for all the things that he seen when he was a child. despite the rocky road as a child my son grew up to be a wonderful young man!

Josh graduated from Sterling high school in baytown in 2005 then the became a correctional officer for the High tower unit in Daytown.  Texas.   Josh and I had our usual mom and son disagreements but he knew that I loved him more that life.

He often teased me that I never spend time with him he worked nights and i worked days and it seemed like the only time we had together was in the morning while I was getting dressed for work he would come lay on my bed and tell me about his night, on his off days he would make a point to come pick me up and take me to lunch just so we could hang... i miss that so much..\

The morning of May 26,2006, I got up to leave for work and Josh was on his long change so he was going back to work that night, so he had stayed up late, anyway I went in his room and said hey son I am leaving for work your sister Brittany is taken Rachel his other sister shipping, she has a graduation to go to so Rachel is going to hang out with her for a while today but she will drop her off around 4or5, Josh who was half asleep said OK, and then i said run the vacuuming in the living room for me and I love you have a good day and he said OK mom I love you too, be careful and have a good day.

I left for work and around 11;30 Josh calls and said hey mom was Brittany her this morning, i said Josh if Brittany wasn't there then where is your little sister? he said well that was my next question.
I said son did you here any thing I said this morning and he said all i heard was blah blah blah blah i love you bye.... I then asked if he ran the vacuum and he gave me his smart answer vacuum makes noise and i hear no noise, I said well you better here some noise before i get home and he laughed and said he might go to the movies with his friends later. we said our I love yous and hung up the phone.

Later on around 1 I thought  that i should call him and see if he wanted to go to lunch, but i was really busy working on the weddings i had for that weekend. and time slipped away around 2:45 Brittany brought me Rachel and said she wanted to hang out with me so Josh could sleep. as time went by I never even though that something was wrong, you see Josh watched Rachel all the time and if she wasn't home at a certain time he was on the phone calling me.   Well I left work at 5:30 and when i got home his truck was gone so i called his cell and it rang and rang..... so I tryed it again and it rang and rang. i got out came in the house and looked to see if he left a note, and my floor wasn't vaccumned, well that upset me that he didn't do the one thing that i asked him to do.

so I called his cell phone again and this time it went strait to voice mail and i thought ok hes with his friends and ignoring me so I said hey son pick up the phone call me asap...
then i tryed again this time i was upset and told him that i wasn't going to play those games where he pretend that he didn't get my call that i am really pissed and this is it if you cant help me out that maybe you need to move out...will i was leaving that message i got a beep i didn't answer cause i didn't know the number, well after i hung up i played my voice mail and it was the medical examiners office looking for a family member of Joshua Lee Watson.  my heart hit the floor is he playing a game or what, so i called the number back and walked out side so my 9 year old would hear, and the lady on  the other end said how are you kin, i said i am his mother and she said , I'm sorry to inform you that at 3:03 this afternoon your son was involved in a single vehicle accident and he was pronounced dead at the scean..... I called her a lier asked were are the police and thee pastor, where are the people who is suppose to notify me and why no at 6 if this happeded at 3.  then i freaked out my 9 year old heard me and ran outside and said mom what is it and before i could think i blurred out Josh is dead.  after what seemed like an eternity on the phone with this lady wanting to know where josh was born and other stuff i told her i cant do this i cant breath she asked if any one she could call every one in my family is at least 45mins away .. i hung and call Josh's friends and asked were is Josh and they said he went home after the movie to sleep i said no what time was this they said the movie endend around 2;45 and they Hung out in the parking lot for a few min and then they all left. I called them liars and said this isn't funny tell josh its time to come home i cant deal with this confussed they asked what i was talking about and i told them well the phone went dead then i tryed calling my husband who was inside a chemical plant and didn't have his phone, i tryed my sisters and no answer i tryed my daughters and she had all ready left... then i called my mom and said i need you here she asked why i said just come and of course she had to know why so i told her by this time i am hyperventilating and cant breath my world is crashing all i could do is hang on to my nine year old daughter and cry why God why....

they told me where the accident happened and i fought myself not to go see if there really was an accident there it was 2 miles from my house, i guess that it was good that I didn't go with my daughter because my son's body was still there until 7;30 or so.

You see he was going to get gas (i think) the came off of I-10 at Ellis school road and that is a tricky exit they have fixed it since his death, he lost control in the gravel and turned hard to the right and back to the left  hit a ditch went air born hit a telephone pole which hit him in the head, hit a fence and then hit a tree.   the 911 call went out at 3.03 and the first officer didn't arrive until 3:45  the EMT from highlands was already there and tryed to fiend a pulse but the position he was in the couldn't find an artery ()  so when the firedepartment  got there the pried open the door and they had to cut his seat belt off of him...when the did that he just slid out of the truck striking his head again.  now i am a bit confussed because i have been told about 17 different stories form the ems the police and the witness at who's house it happened at.  the said it looked like he was a sleep with both hand on the wheel.  not being able to deal with this and seeing my son in the casket it didn't look like him so i had my lawyer get the papper work and the pictures from the accident site... i got them yesterday and i am so confussed, Yes Josh suffered a lot of injury's a broken neck, his brain dislodged from the cord his back broke in 3 place is left shoulder dislocated and lots of internal injury's.  but why did these people lie to me... there was a good amount of blood and i was told oh he looked like he was sleeping , his eyes are open and the pains so real.... my husband gets upset with me he says i got to let it go, but what it my son was alive and they did nothing, it says time of death 3:22. by letting him slid out of his truck striking his head again was that the final blow that killed him?  why wasn't I called they have all the information on the report his address approx 2 miles away mother cell phone mother job, why did i have to find out this way? 

I know everyone here has there own grief and i know your not going to tell me just to accept it and get over it I cant i grieve every single day why did i call him for lunch why did i fuss on his cell for not running the vacuuming... why wasn't it me....

i struggle each and every day try to hang on... some times when i think i cant do it any more one of Joshua friends shows ups just to give me a hug and will sit for hour i know that josh sends them to me.

The night of the accident the first ones to come to me was Joshua friends they made it to the house before my mom or even before my husband. i am truly blessed to have Josh's friends in my life..

that night his friends went out on got a tattoo that says
IN LOVING REMEMBER CE OF WATSON X

THEY SAID THAT WAY HE WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN.

Josh I MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU SO MUCH I WISH I COULD BRING YOU BACK.

VIRGIE JOSH'S MOM