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- May 16, 2005
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I'm a bit down at the moment. On Sunday, a junior boy (17) and a freshman (14) from my high school were both passengers in a car crash. The junior died at the scene, while the freshman was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and lay in a coma. All the drivers, somehow, managed to survive.
He died this morning. Only then did I realize that I knew who he was. He was in one of my classes last year. We weren't close friends, and I didn't know him particularly well, but I felt a different kind of loss. This kid, a Russian by birth, was where I got the inspiration to write about some Russian characters for my novel, including a major POV character.
Now I feel like the inspiration is dying as well, but I know, and others have told me, that the best thing to do is to continue the book in memory of him. Up until now, I didn't have an official dedication to any particular person. Now I do, because I'm putting Alex and Pavel's names on a page all by themselves.
People went around the classes asking for donations to help with the funeral costs. I happened to have a good amount of money with me at the time, so I donated, as well as many other people in my class. At the end of the day, it was announced that students had donated over a thousand dollars toward the funeral. I was surprised, because I've sometimes thought that kids didn't have compassion or care much any more. I realized that kids still do care.
It was Pavel's slyness, his penchant for attracting girls, and the face that always seemed to have a smile (or, at least, an amused look) that made we decide to write about some Russian characters. Though I didn't know him as well as other people did, I will always remember him as the one who inspired me to create Vladimir Ranevsky and his family.
Hopefully, I can get past his death and continue to write about the characters inspired by him. Neither of the two who died were driving, they both didn't deserve it, and it wasn't their fault that the driver possibly shouldn't have been driving at all. They were too young, and I hope some of you realize how much more common accidents like these are than you would like to think.
I know I'm rambling, but I think it needed to be said. I'm praying for both of the two teens' families as they prepare for the funerals later this week. And I hope the two of them are both aware of how many people really cared and donated money toward their cause.
--Alan
He died this morning. Only then did I realize that I knew who he was. He was in one of my classes last year. We weren't close friends, and I didn't know him particularly well, but I felt a different kind of loss. This kid, a Russian by birth, was where I got the inspiration to write about some Russian characters for my novel, including a major POV character.
Now I feel like the inspiration is dying as well, but I know, and others have told me, that the best thing to do is to continue the book in memory of him. Up until now, I didn't have an official dedication to any particular person. Now I do, because I'm putting Alex and Pavel's names on a page all by themselves.
People went around the classes asking for donations to help with the funeral costs. I happened to have a good amount of money with me at the time, so I donated, as well as many other people in my class. At the end of the day, it was announced that students had donated over a thousand dollars toward the funeral. I was surprised, because I've sometimes thought that kids didn't have compassion or care much any more. I realized that kids still do care.
It was Pavel's slyness, his penchant for attracting girls, and the face that always seemed to have a smile (or, at least, an amused look) that made we decide to write about some Russian characters. Though I didn't know him as well as other people did, I will always remember him as the one who inspired me to create Vladimir Ranevsky and his family.
Hopefully, I can get past his death and continue to write about the characters inspired by him. Neither of the two who died were driving, they both didn't deserve it, and it wasn't their fault that the driver possibly shouldn't have been driving at all. They were too young, and I hope some of you realize how much more common accidents like these are than you would like to think.
I know I'm rambling, but I think it needed to be said. I'm praying for both of the two teens' families as they prepare for the funerals later this week. And I hope the two of them are both aware of how many people really cared and donated money toward their cause.
--Alan