This past week has been very unexpected here in Bellingham. Our community has been hit with two tragedies that have hit close to home for Jon and I. On Thursday, I had stayed late at the University in order to attend one of my online classes that started at 5pm, so I left 1 hour later than normal to catch my bus. As soon as we arrived at Bellingham Station, the driver informed us that we were now on detour because of "police activity at the high school". Bellingham High School runs down my bus route, so I knew it was that school. As soon as I got home I checked the news and was brought to tears at what I saw. A young mother was walking her 3 children correctly across the cross walk. One car had stopped to let them pass, when another car slammed into it and caused the car to slide into the crosswalk. A little girl named Anna who is Kaylee's age (2) was killed. Jon and I did not quite know how to take this news. Here is a mom who is doing the right thing by walking her children across the crosswalk, doing everything right, and her baby is now gone. How could this happen??? Why did this happen?? Why her? There are so many unanswered questions, and the driver who slammed into the stopped car was arrested. There have not been any new details yet. The community immediately came together and began to set up a memorial outside of the intersection. What started as a bear and a balloon soon blossomed into about 20 square feet of candles, flowers, plants, stuffed animals, balloons, crosses, pictures, and religious scripture. This weekend we bought a small plant and took it out to the memorial site. Jon and I felt such a connection to this family, and can't imagine what they are going through. Here is a picture of the memorial after only a few days:
The beginning of this week brought rain, and on my bus ride home I saw that someone had set up 2 tents to cover and protect the memorial site. It will remain up probably until the funeral service later this week. It was such a tragic event, and one that Jon and I will probably never forget.
Unfortunately, that is not all that happened this week. A Western Washington University student named Dwight Clark (18) had been reported missing for over a week. Every day when I went into work I had hoped that I would see an update that the investigation was moving in a positive direction. Instead, it seemed as though the investigation was turning cold. His picture was posted in every entrance to every building on campus. Despite the possibility that the result would be undesirable, the community banded together in search for Dwight. Search teams worked with the Bellingham Police Department to scour every area of interest. Fliers were posted at bus stops and in business windows. T-shirts were made for search party personnel to wear. Everyone followed every lead possible but nothing seemed to progress. This afternoon, we were all informed that Dwight had been found in the water outside the bay. I knew something was wrong when helicopters hovered over the university and bay area during lunchtime. A pit in my stomach grew harder and my heart dropped when we received the news. He looked like such a sweet and innocent kid. He was a freshman, brand new to the University only 3 weeks ago. The entire campus gathered today at 4pm to pay our respects. There are still so many unanswered questions, and I pray that the investigation results will be able to give the family some closure. Dwight's mother has been in Bellingham every since his disappearance, I feel so sorry for her and their family. Here is a picture from today (retrieved from Bellingham Herald) on campus:
In the midst of both tragedies, it makes me want to come home and hug Kaylee as hard as I can and never let go. In both instances, a mother has lost their child. Why do things like this happen? It's difficult to understand that even though you do everything in life right that tragedy can still happen like this. To come to the realization that tragedy happens because sin is in this world is hard to swallow sometimes. You think that it won't happen to you or someone you know.
The sin of this world can cripple your community, your home, and your personal life if it lets you. The enemy can target where he knows it will hurt the worst, and for this to happen so close to home makes me not only sad, but angry. We must protect ourselves from any ounce of suseptibility's in both our spiritual lives and our physical lives. Mom's and dads: pray with your family daily. Make it a usual occurrence at home so that it becomes "odd" not to pray each morning and evening. Pray for your kids, for their day today and for their future tomorrow. I can't imagine how these famlies feel and I pray that I will never have to endure that in life. We cannot predict what the devil may do in our future, but we can do our very best to stay on the path that God has for our lives so that we can make the very best of it while we are here. It's clear as day to us that this world will not be here very long, but we can't give up hope and we can still reach the destiny that God has for our lives.
I'm sorry if this post has upset any of you. It's been hard to get over for us. Please keep both of these families in your thoughts and prayers. And hug your babies extra tight tonight, thanking God that he blessed you as their parent. Never take for granted every second you have with them. We love you all very much.
Brianne & Jon
