No one is a foreigner to heartbreak. It comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes we can see it coming, such as a bad relationship coming to an end, but sometimes it sneaks up on us like a cat. Regardless of how it happens, it hurts, and it can hurt for awhile. Some time later the pain will subside and begin to dull, but it will never fully go away. It may feel like you are getting hit over and over again with heartbreak; maybe your luck with boys is as bad as a Monday, but it can be worse, and for a small town like Minooka it seems that all we know is heartbreak.
Within the past 5 years there has been too much heartbreak. I'm not talking about a boy anymore, I'm talking about death. There has been numerous deaths that has shaken our small community. Some were beloved teachers, current and former students, and well liked neighbors. There is only so much a small town can take, and it becomes apparent that our town is a hotspot for it.
Every death is hard to get over, especially when those who passed were a shinning star. Whether it's cancer or a tragic accident, it does not make it easier getting a call saying another Indian has passed. The halls of the high school are silent; the streets are eerie with the feeling for loss and sadness.
Mitch Fajman, Liz Daniels, Tyler Fox, Darcy Chobar, Madison Angus, Mr. Assaf, Mrs. Capodice, and most recently, Kara Starr, just to name a few of those who have passed within the last five years. The list goes on as the heartbreak gets worse. These people were somebodies child. They were teachers who had a passion for what they did. They were students who made school a better place. Most of all, they were someone.
As a community, it never fails that we will come together in a time of need. We comfort each other, even when we just met. It's knowing that even when we are at our lowest and weakest, we are still a family. We don't always have to get along, but we will defined each other in times of need. We come together to celebrate a soul gone too soon.
It's going back to Central campus after a candle vigil and seeing the wax molded onto the ground from the night before and being able to recreate the feelings from that night. It's holding hands with a stranger as your bawl over the loss of a friend. It's knowing that no matter what happens in this crazy life, you will never be forgotten.
This isn't goodbye, it's a see you later. You are always in our hearts and on our minds. Watch over us as we attempt to make you proud. Without you, Minooka would not be how it is. You made a difference in the world with the short amount of time you were here, so let us continue in your name.
Once an Indian, always an Indian. Rest easy, my angels.
