Always Love-Never Forget

Yesterday 5 years ago, 2 of my friends died in a car accident. (Ali & Mary)
So yesterday was kind of hard for a few reasons.
Feb, 19, 2005 I was a Sophomore in High School. On this day for Young Life we went on a ski/snow tubing trip to Snow Star in the Quad Cities. It was a great day. On that day I officially met Ali and Mary. I had known them before. We had worked together when as an area we were trying to come up with things for the banquet, and they had gone to camp the year before. On that day I remember joking around with Ali. I remember talking with her about being 'Great new friends.' It was really cool and I was excited. I was really looking forward to playing soccer against her now, cuz well we were friends. It was going to be more on the field than, 'oh I know her from young life.'
We were all leaving, and packed up into our vans/cars. The weather was starting to get bad. And Steve's car was following us, but we were leaving a lot of distance between the vans because of the drifting that was going on. Then we got a phone call to pull over at the next rest stop. Something had happened to one of the vans. It flipped. We were told that some of the girls had to go to the hospital, but they didn't tell us who. I knew all of the girls in that van, some A LOT more than others, and some well....we just became new friends.
The next morning.......we heard that Ali and Mary had died.

Yesterday was a time of prayer. Prayer because of those two 16 year old girls.
Steve-the driver. I still can't imagine the things that go through his head to this day. As a Young Life leader, and every time I drive for YL I get nervous. Because what happened is very real.
Families- 5 years.....And they still remain 16. They were only meant to live to be 16.
Friends- Coping.....Healthy-Not so Healthy.
Scott- As an area director...how does he handle this.
Me-Where does my theology fit in. First time death was real.....

I talked to my Dad about it on the phone, and that was good. To de-brief it all. People here don't know about it, so to be able to talk to my dad was really good. And Healthy.

ALWAYS LOVE- NEVER FORGET
                     AH&MC
                      2/19/05

One day I'll blog about Jamaica....and other things going on in my life.