The Player
DNJ Editorial
In a community hit hard by recent events, such as the death of Cassie Boller
nearly two weeks ago, yet another death brings a new shock of anguish
through an already hurting community.
John Cage, a student at ******** High School, was the only fatality in a
tragic car accident on Highway 41 on Tuesday evening. Medical examiners
confess that the cause of death will always be a mystery, but due to the
absence of skid marks, and the random manner in which he drifted across the
grassy median, Officer Dan McBride officially stated the death an accident.
John Cage was 17 years old, due to be 18 in a mere six months. Eighteen
would have been a big age for him, the age in which he would be able to
vote. Although he was only 15 when President Bush was ?elected,? he
expressed serious concerns about the current system in which the president
is elected, and looked forward to the day he could vote, make a difference.
His planned major in college would have been Political Science, and without
a doubt you would have seen him on the floor of the senate as a lobbyist or
in the halls as a senator itself.
Very active in school, many departments and clubs are seething from the
loss. In Drama he participated in the recent production, The Sound of Music,
as a dancer, and as the business manager for the same production,
successfully orchestrated a string of fundraisers to raise close to four
thousand dollars. As happy as he was on the stage, he was more so on the
football field. As a receiver he broke numerous records, which although the
school was a new one, is no small feat in itself. His departure from the
football world was sudden and heartbreaking, as an injury to his left ACL
and MCL left him unable to walk, let alone run for nearly three months. John
was also active in Debate Club, Key Club, and would have been inducted into
the National Honor Society in April.
Probably the most notable of his feats was his work with the Boys and Girls
Club. As a volunteer softball coach, he helped coach underprivileged
children on Saturday?s. Many children were present at his funeral, and one
girl, with a single tear rolling down here cheek, presented the open casket
with a baseball mitt, with all the team members signatures inscribed onto
it.
John Cage, though short lived, will be remembered for a long time to come.
Memorials are being set up throughout the city at places where he
volunteered, or simply left his impression. John Cage, a friend, a coach, a
brother and son. May he live on in our hearts and minds until we can be with
him again?
**This editorial, while well written and sympathetic, does not necessarily
represent the facts as factually as possible. The DNJ thanks the family and
friends of John Cage for their input and apologize for any discrepancies in
fact or subject matter.
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