We live, we die, and we make mistakes inbetween.
Today was the funeral. I was very scared to go because I wasn't sure how I was going to react. I hate crying infront of people, and I had to hold back ALOT today. I'm most likely going ot let it all out now.
Okay, so on July 7, 2004 Tina Guerra, my cousin, died. She was in the car on the way home from getting a pizza. Her dad was driving, her mom was in the front seat, and Tina was in the back. They were heading home, like I said before, from getting a pizza. They were planning on just watching a movie, relaxing, and eating pizza-but that plan definetly got changed quickly. On the way home their conversation was wrapped around Tina and her boyfriend. Tina's boyfriend had a great relationship w/ the family, so that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Tina had been recieving some pretty extravagent gifts from other guys that obv weren't her boyfriend. Her parents were telling her that she needs to work for those types of things, you just can't get them like that. Well, Tina got upset and told her dad to stop the car, she wanted to walk home. Her parents kept telling her "wait til we get home" Well, as they pulled onto their street (in Rhode Island) TIna opened the back door. At the sound of the door opening her parents told her to shut the door, and her dad began to slow down. All of this was too late. Tina misjudged the speed of the car, and stepped out. The car was going a little under 35MPH. As Tina stepped out she landed on her back, smacking her head on the pavement. She hit a very tender spot on the back of her skull...and died later that night.
Tina Guerra was 18 years old, about to start her Senior year of highschool in the fall. She was very artisitic and into a lot of music. She loved painting and drawing, and she was serious about going into a career w/ glass blowing. She had made many pieces that were welding beautifully. SHe was like anyothr 18 year old...determined and looking forward to her future. She just got hre driver's license a little while ago, so her dreams and future looked even more motivated. But July 7th, 2004 Tina made one bad decision and ended her future forever...
She won't get to see her older brother finish off his term in the navy, she won't be able to see her other brother and his new wife live a beautiful life. She won't be able to go to senior prom or see her graduation day, like you and I hopefully will. She won't be able to walk down the isle towards a handsome and loving groom. She will never be able to persue her dreams and reach for her goals. All because of one decision.
I learned alot from this situation. I wasn't very close with Tina, but that doesn't mattter at all. She is flesh and blood of my family (my nana's side in fact) and walking into that funeral I never said to myself "I dont even know this girl" I entered the funeral home and Led Zeppelin music was playing--her favorite band. I saw groups and groups of teenagers all hugging and crying. I walked around the corner (looking at numerous drawings and paintings along the way) and saw the casket, open of course, portraying Tina. My cousin, 18 years old...in a casket. To the left her dad, mom, grandmother, two brothers, and sister-in law standing to greet everyone. I knelt down on the pue and remember saying to myself (and to God) "Why her? Why Tina? Why did she jump out of the car? She's so young, so beautiful, and had so much ahead of her" As I went to greet my family in that line, I haven't seen them for a log time, but that didn't matter. I hugged her dad and I just felt so sorry. As I went through the line, my sympathy fo them rose. No parent should ever have to bury their child...ever! No parent should ever have to go through what they are going through. It's so sad!
Once we got through the line we sat down and talked w/ my dad's cousin Bonnie. She told us little things about Tina, and just about her life in general. She had so many dreams, goals, and I konw her future held so much.
As I sat there, watching crowds and crowds of people enter the funeral home to pay their last respects I remember saying "I never want to do this again!" The majority, as in like 95% of the people entering that funeral home, we her friends. From Rhode Island (her current home) to her friends from Mass (her birth place and where she grew up most of her life). They were all beside themselves in grief. Not only should no parent have to bury their child, but no 18year old should have to attend a funeral home for their own friend. They were all so sad! One girl, along with two other friends (who I think were there for support for this girl), brought roses to put into Tina's casket. This girl was crying so hard that she was shaking and could barely walk. I remember watching all of those kids come in, and I said to myself "wow, she had so many friends. so many people to care about her. Why did she jump out of the car"--no one will ever know that question, but we will all remember Tina forever.
This entire situation made me think alot. Life is so short. Yeah, as Joey from Dawson's Creek said it "we live, we die, we make mistakes inbetween"--but sometimes we dont realize that every breath/word/action could be our last. I can't imagine having to go through that w/ one of my friends or putting my parents through that. There are illnesses and diseases that take lives everyday. As horible as those are, we understand they can't be controlled sometimes and that suffering is really hard. But in cases like this, it could have been stopped. Such a young woman, died on July 7th--and for what? Why? What could have possibly pushed her to that level? I wish I knew.
As I sat there watching everyone come in and pay their last respects I thought about all of my friends, especially my best friends (because her best friend was there w/ flowers, a poem, and tears flowing down her cheeks). I could never ever imagine walking into a funeral home to say goodbye to one of my friends...at this age. I wouldn't be able to handle it. I can't live w/o my friends, and losing any of them would kill me.
There have been SO many accidents this summer that have killed so many teenagers and young adults. It's incredible. One bad turn, one blink of an eye, and your life can change drastically. Whether it's your life being taken, or the life of someone close to you--your life can change in an instant.
Remember that guys. Next time you are mad at your best friend or you get in a little fight w/ your parents. Remember Tina Guerra. Remember that she had her last fight, said her last words. Don't regret your life, and don't waste your time dwelling on the small imperfections. Don't forget to tell your friends and family how much you love them. I never want you or myself to have to go through what TIna's family and friends had to go through today.
I want each and every one of us to go to Jr. and Sr. prom, to enjoy highschool. To cry on graduation day, and begin our new life w/ college. I want to get married, see my best friends get married. I want to start a family and live a happy life. One decision could change all that, but I hope to make the right ones in order to succeed. As we left, we got back inline to say goodbye to Tina, and to hre parents and brothers. I shook Richard's (her dad) hand and he pulled me in and gave me the biggest hug. He said, "take care of yourself. be careful. for all of us." I said "I will" and we pulled apart from the hug. I looked at his face and he was crying. He looked so sad. He just lost his daughter, and he didn't want to see my dad lose his. Makes you think.
Okay, now that I've caused myself to cry, I'm gonna go.
I hope you all learned something from this.
Tina Guerra was eighteen years old, w/ her life ahead of her. She was a beautiful and determined young woman. She will ever be forgotten, and will truly be missed.
I love you.
R.I.P
July 7, 2004
&heart;Darc
Okay, so on July 7, 2004 Tina Guerra, my cousin, died. She was in the car on the way home from getting a pizza. Her dad was driving, her mom was in the front seat, and Tina was in the back. They were heading home, like I said before, from getting a pizza. They were planning on just watching a movie, relaxing, and eating pizza-but that plan definetly got changed quickly. On the way home their conversation was wrapped around Tina and her boyfriend. Tina's boyfriend had a great relationship w/ the family, so that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Tina had been recieving some pretty extravagent gifts from other guys that obv weren't her boyfriend. Her parents were telling her that she needs to work for those types of things, you just can't get them like that. Well, Tina got upset and told her dad to stop the car, she wanted to walk home. Her parents kept telling her "wait til we get home" Well, as they pulled onto their street (in Rhode Island) TIna opened the back door. At the sound of the door opening her parents told her to shut the door, and her dad began to slow down. All of this was too late. Tina misjudged the speed of the car, and stepped out. The car was going a little under 35MPH. As Tina stepped out she landed on her back, smacking her head on the pavement. She hit a very tender spot on the back of her skull...and died later that night.
Tina Guerra was 18 years old, about to start her Senior year of highschool in the fall. She was very artisitic and into a lot of music. She loved painting and drawing, and she was serious about going into a career w/ glass blowing. She had made many pieces that were welding beautifully. SHe was like anyothr 18 year old...determined and looking forward to her future. She just got hre driver's license a little while ago, so her dreams and future looked even more motivated. But July 7th, 2004 Tina made one bad decision and ended her future forever...
She won't get to see her older brother finish off his term in the navy, she won't be able to see her other brother and his new wife live a beautiful life. She won't be able to go to senior prom or see her graduation day, like you and I hopefully will. She won't be able to walk down the isle towards a handsome and loving groom. She will never be able to persue her dreams and reach for her goals. All because of one decision.
I learned alot from this situation. I wasn't very close with Tina, but that doesn't mattter at all. She is flesh and blood of my family (my nana's side in fact) and walking into that funeral I never said to myself "I dont even know this girl" I entered the funeral home and Led Zeppelin music was playing--her favorite band. I saw groups and groups of teenagers all hugging and crying. I walked around the corner (looking at numerous drawings and paintings along the way) and saw the casket, open of course, portraying Tina. My cousin, 18 years old...in a casket. To the left her dad, mom, grandmother, two brothers, and sister-in law standing to greet everyone. I knelt down on the pue and remember saying to myself (and to God) "Why her? Why Tina? Why did she jump out of the car? She's so young, so beautiful, and had so much ahead of her" As I went to greet my family in that line, I haven't seen them for a log time, but that didn't matter. I hugged her dad and I just felt so sorry. As I went through the line, my sympathy fo them rose. No parent should ever have to bury their child...ever! No parent should ever have to go through what they are going through. It's so sad!
Once we got through the line we sat down and talked w/ my dad's cousin Bonnie. She told us little things about Tina, and just about her life in general. She had so many dreams, goals, and I konw her future held so much.
As I sat there, watching crowds and crowds of people enter the funeral home to pay their last respects I remember saying "I never want to do this again!" The majority, as in like 95% of the people entering that funeral home, we her friends. From Rhode Island (her current home) to her friends from Mass (her birth place and where she grew up most of her life). They were all beside themselves in grief. Not only should no parent have to bury their child, but no 18year old should have to attend a funeral home for their own friend. They were all so sad! One girl, along with two other friends (who I think were there for support for this girl), brought roses to put into Tina's casket. This girl was crying so hard that she was shaking and could barely walk. I remember watching all of those kids come in, and I said to myself "wow, she had so many friends. so many people to care about her. Why did she jump out of the car"--no one will ever know that question, but we will all remember Tina forever.
This entire situation made me think alot. Life is so short. Yeah, as Joey from Dawson's Creek said it "we live, we die, we make mistakes inbetween"--but sometimes we dont realize that every breath/word/action could be our last. I can't imagine having to go through that w/ one of my friends or putting my parents through that. There are illnesses and diseases that take lives everyday. As horible as those are, we understand they can't be controlled sometimes and that suffering is really hard. But in cases like this, it could have been stopped. Such a young woman, died on July 7th--and for what? Why? What could have possibly pushed her to that level? I wish I knew.
As I sat there watching everyone come in and pay their last respects I thought about all of my friends, especially my best friends (because her best friend was there w/ flowers, a poem, and tears flowing down her cheeks). I could never ever imagine walking into a funeral home to say goodbye to one of my friends...at this age. I wouldn't be able to handle it. I can't live w/o my friends, and losing any of them would kill me.
There have been SO many accidents this summer that have killed so many teenagers and young adults. It's incredible. One bad turn, one blink of an eye, and your life can change drastically. Whether it's your life being taken, or the life of someone close to you--your life can change in an instant.
Remember that guys. Next time you are mad at your best friend or you get in a little fight w/ your parents. Remember Tina Guerra. Remember that she had her last fight, said her last words. Don't regret your life, and don't waste your time dwelling on the small imperfections. Don't forget to tell your friends and family how much you love them. I never want you or myself to have to go through what TIna's family and friends had to go through today.
I want each and every one of us to go to Jr. and Sr. prom, to enjoy highschool. To cry on graduation day, and begin our new life w/ college. I want to get married, see my best friends get married. I want to start a family and live a happy life. One decision could change all that, but I hope to make the right ones in order to succeed. As we left, we got back inline to say goodbye to Tina, and to hre parents and brothers. I shook Richard's (her dad) hand and he pulled me in and gave me the biggest hug. He said, "take care of yourself. be careful. for all of us." I said "I will" and we pulled apart from the hug. I looked at his face and he was crying. He looked so sad. He just lost his daughter, and he didn't want to see my dad lose his. Makes you think.
Okay, now that I've caused myself to cry, I'm gonna go.
I hope you all learned something from this.
Tina Guerra was eighteen years old, w/ her life ahead of her. She was a beautiful and determined young woman. She will ever be forgotten, and will truly be missed.
I love you.
R.I.P
July 7, 2004
&heart;Darc