Young Lives

I've had some posts percolating in my head, but they have been interrupted by town events.

There was an horrific car accident in town on Friday morning. Three high school boys, two of them brothers, wrapped around a tree on a curvy country road. All three had to be extricated from the wreck with machinery and all three we helicoptered to the city for treatment (two different hospitals).

C was on the bus when another bus driver who witnessed the accident called the bus headquarters over the shared radio frequency and asked them to call 911. We heard the sirens ourselves. It wasn't until later in the morning that the schools were told that the victims were fellow students. News crews arrived, town staff gave something of a press conference, the schools crisis team went to work. It was on several local news Web sites and on television broadcasts.

Everyone in town waited for news. Rumors started - one was that the absolute worst had happened. But by evening, there was an update. The two older boys were critical and the younger one was in fair condition. The boys were at two hospitals a fair distance apart - and, at the very least, the brothers were at the same hospital.

Yesterday there were further updates. The younger brother was upgraded to good condition, and the passenger was upgraded to serious. The older brother is still critical. The names were released. Kids came together around town. The InterFaith Council planned a vigil for later this afternoon. Everyone is waiting for more information today.

I feel sick with worry, and I didn't know these kids. I feel sicker when I think about their parents and what they are enduring.

NOON: The town has just been informed that the older brother (and driver) has died from his injuries.