Parents shed a tear every time their child’s birthday passes by…

Siblings continue growing up without their brother or sister there to cheer them on…

Friends remain silent as their favorite songs come on the radio because they have no one to sing along with…

Teammates stand hand in hand as they bow their heads and prepare to play yet another game without their friends…

Teachers stand at the front of the classroom with open seats that used to be occupied…

A community at a loss of words for such a tragic event…

Fellow Vermonters supporting and praying for those who lost their loved ones…

Recently in Vermont, families and friends’ loss the lives of five of their loved ones on a night just like any other. The parent’s assumed that their children would return that night after Mike Stud’s concert at Higher Ground. Little did they know their babies would not return that night and their lives would be changed forever.

One late Saturday night on October 8^th, five high school students were headed home from Burlington, Vermont to Washington County (roughly 25+ minutes away). As they were driving southbound on I-89 toward Richmond, Steven Bourgoin (age 36) was driving northward in their lane. There was much suspicion as to whether or not Bourgoin was under the influence of alcohol or drugs while operating the motor vehicle that hit these student’s car head on.

When the policeman arrived on the scene, the Volkswagen Jetta driven by the five students was on fire and the Toyota Tacoma destroyed right next to it. The police officer attempted at rescuing the young girl trapped inside the Jetta, while in the meantime Bourgoin hijacked the officer’s police cruiser and started driving in the northbound lane (in the right direction) hitting at least seven other vehicles. A short while later Bourgoin was headed back towards the scene, yet again in the wrong direction, accelerating rapidly until he crashed the cruiser and was ejected from the vehicle.

These five children were not just sons and daughters but they were brothers and sisters, grandchildren, students, classmates, friends, cousins, nieces and nephews, and teammates. Each child extraordinary in their own way.

While I never knew the students on a personal level, I still feel for their loved ones. According to many who did know them, they were the students who walked into a room and lit up the classroom with their energy and smiles. They were the athletes who always encouraged their teammates and worked to their greatest potential. They were intelligent students with the ability to change the world. They were friends who always brought laughter to their peers. They were just children whose lives should have never been taken away.

I would like to offer the families and friends of these five children my condolences. Even though I never knew them, I wish I had. I hope that your children find peace and that you can all remember the good times that you had with these five incredible individuals.