I had to work this morning. Same ole same ole. Noticed Scott's car in the driveway. I didn't think anything about it. Figured he just left it here while he worked so he wouldn't have to be dropped where he was living at the time.
I remember looking in it as I passed it on my way out. (If I had only known)
Got in from work fairly early and hubby wanted to go and apply for some Home Health jobs. He had been working in a nursing home and was pretty burned out. So we went to some places that I knew the administrators. I had been in Home Health for years and knew everybody.
Anyway, we made the rounds and talked to several people and went to KFC and grabbed some chicken for lunch. Went home and were talking and enjoying our lunch when the phone rang.
Hubby answered it..and I could tell by the way he acted ..something was wrong. I heard him say "That's my son." He threw the phone down and headed for the front door. I picked up the phone.
I said "Hello ?". and the voice on the other end went to explaining to me that this is not how they wanted to tell us this.
That was all I needed to hear. I said "Where is he?" . The policeman said " At Cochran Funeral Home".
I thanked him. Can you believe it. I THANKED HIM. (looking back,,he was just doing his job)
In the mean time, Hubby was beating the house down...crying 'WHY???'.
I tried to gather myself..and we got in the car somehow. Went to the funeral home. All the while not wanting to believe this was happening. Thinking maybe it was someone else that had Scott's ID with them or something....ANYTHING.
They put us in this office,,and started talking about services and songs and what day did we want the service and things like that. Hubby would have NO part of it. He shoved the officer standing there..demanding to see Scott.
They agreed. Was only fair anyway. I remember the director telling someone to clean him up so we could see him.
He just looked asleep except for the fact of where he was.
We looked him over. I ran my fingers through his hair and down his body. Begged him to get up. I noticed his mouth was full of blood and he was somewhat twisted. Not in a normal position. That is when I knew he wasn't gonna wake up.
Back in that same room we went. Only this time they had us go inside the double doors they had there. This led us into a room full of coffins, from itty bitty to great big, black and white, wide and small, REALLY HIT...AND HURT MORE THAN I CAN TELL YOU.
At this point I could not even imagine what his dad was feeling. You see, Scott was hubby's only son. I am just the step-mom even though I LOVED HIM like my very own.
Now my mind is trying to focus on my husband who is now sitting on the couch they had in there. He looked as blank as Scott did. Took everything I had left in me to say anything to him.
We prepared to leave, knowing we had alot to do. The funeral home people offered to give us a ride. I said NO. We needed some time alone together.
Was the longest ride home. I will never forget it. Part of our life, Hubby's only son, His namesake, His bestfriend, had been ripped from us.
It was hard. And still is. We relive it every single day.
Once we got home....the phone went to ringing off the hook as people found out what happened. I hate to say it, but I was not so nice to people. I am sorry now for that but at the time....I was lost and hurting.
I think the hardest call I had to take was when Scott's girlfriend called here. Now granted I didn't like her at the time, but since we have become good friends.
Anyway, We had just got home and she called. Wanting to know where Scott was cause he was to take her to the doctor that day. I did it all wrong, I know, but I told her, "Wendy, sweety, Scott was killed this morning."
I heard her lose it. I could hear her crying in the backgound. Then I lost it again too. You see, she was pregnant with Scott's child.
That afternoon, the house was full of people. What everyone was saying is beyond me. I was lost and numb. So I really can't tell you much about the rest of that day.
We did go back the next morning, hubby and I, to make the final arrangements. To be honest, I can't tell you just what we did.. I know we played Angels Among Us by Alabama and Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks and the song that Scott and his dad use to sing all the time, Let's Go Out in a Blaze of Glory.
We buried Scott on the 17th of Febuary with a host of family and friends there. But it took over a year to bring his killer to justice. With a blood alcohol way above the legal limit, this drunk driver only got 10 years probation for taking the life of our son. And he is still out there drinking and driving.
This is the picture that hit the front page the very next morning. It was very hard to see and read what they had written. All the kids on the school bus were ok, thank goodness. I guess from looking at this picture, you have to wonder how anyone walked away from it. The drunk driver broke a toe and the other man in the truck got some burns on his leg from the water in the radiator. Our son was in the passenger seat and as you can see, he never had a chance. Now people may ask, why did my son get in the truck with a drunk behind the wheel. Well this wreck happened at 6.40am. Scott was riding with this man to work and I don't really think he stopped to see if the man was drunk since it was so early and they were going to work. I guess we will never know exactly what happened that morning other than the fact our Scott is gone. I guess the hardest part is, he has a son now that will never get to know and love his dad like we did.
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