jeffandbonnie (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} jeffandbonnie) wrote,@ 2008-02-15 14:34:00 |
|
...
Earlier today I receieved a text message from my mother saying nothing but "Call me." I was understandably worried, considering both of my parents are dealing with some serious health issues.
The reason behind her message however was not about an internal family issue, but about a headline I happened to read this morning while checking my email. "Another school shooting??" I thought... how horrible. Not again. I couldn't believe what she was telling me though, that the shooter was Gail's son.
Gail Kazmierczak was one of the nicest people I've ever known. I went to school with her son Stephen, who for reasons only he understood took the lives of several students yesterday- and then his own. He graduated from my high school the year before I did, and I did not know him very well at all. Gail however, through the coincidence of working at the same company as my mother became a close family friend. She and her husband Bob, who now is being hounded by reporters - a thought that is breaking my heart- were the kind of people you just had to love.
Bob was wrapped up in my fight for scholarships, Gail always had encouraging words for me... they were so kind hearted and loving. Bob, as he has tearfully stated while pleading with the news media to leave him alone during this unfathomably horrible time, is diabetic and Gail did so much to take care of him. They moved to Florida in part so he would be comfortable, even tried to convince my mom to move down there with them- or at least visit.
During my conversation with my mother I came to discover that Gail passed away during the fall of 2006. I am doubly in shock now. She and my mother used to talk about health problems they were having, or we would all get together and share stories over lunch. It turns out that she had ALS, and did not know it- or at least did not talk about it.
Complete and total shock and sadness.
My heart is with the families of those who died... and especially with Bob, whose loving wife was torn from him after suffering from a heartbreaking degenerative disease ... then his son, who was intelligent and a sponge for language and learning, but was also very very sick. I wish I could find Bob somehow and hug him, shield him from all of this.
so so sad.
Earlier today I receieved a text message from my mother saying nothing but "Call me." I was understandably worried, considering both of my parents are dealing with some serious health issues.
The reason behind her message however was not about an internal family issue, but about a headline I happened to read this morning while checking my email. "Another school shooting??" I thought... how horrible. Not again. I couldn't believe what she was telling me though, that the shooter was Gail's son.
Gail Kazmierczak was one of the nicest people I've ever known. I went to school with her son Stephen, who for reasons only he understood took the lives of several students yesterday- and then his own. He graduated from my high school the year before I did, and I did not know him very well at all. Gail however, through the coincidence of working at the same company as my mother became a close family friend. She and her husband Bob, who now is being hounded by reporters - a thought that is breaking my heart- were the kind of people you just had to love.
Bob was wrapped up in my fight for scholarships, Gail always had encouraging words for me... they were so kind hearted and loving. Bob, as he has tearfully stated while pleading with the news media to leave him alone during this unfathomably horrible time, is diabetic and Gail did so much to take care of him. They moved to Florida in part so he would be comfortable, even tried to convince my mom to move down there with them- or at least visit.
During my conversation with my mother I came to discover that Gail passed away during the fall of 2006. I am doubly in shock now. She and my mother used to talk about health problems they were having, or we would all get together and share stories over lunch. It turns out that she had ALS, and did not know it- or at least did not talk about it.
Complete and total shock and sadness.
My heart is with the families of those who died... and especially with Bob, whose loving wife was torn from him after suffering from a heartbreaking degenerative disease ... then his son, who was intelligent and a sponge for language and learning, but was also very very sick. I wish I could find Bob somehow and hug him, shield him from all of this.
so so sad.
