I lost an amazing person in my life today. She was my age, a single mom with a beautiful little girl. We worked together at the Barrel, and would often joke about how similar our lives were ... we were the same age, with little girls, and we fell in love with men who would turn out to be dead beat fathers. She and I both struggled, but it was great to have someone to vent to ... someone who actually understood where I was coming from.
Tonight, I picked up a shift for her, tomorrow would have been her 25th birthday. She was dating my ex, and on her way out to see him in St. Pete, when she was killed in a car accident. She was driving on the crosstown, and someone hit her head on going the wrong way. Her daughter, Summer, is in critical condition. The last we had heard, she was in surgery. They do no know if she is going to make it.
I can't help but wonder if all this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't agreed to work for her. I know it's not my fault, and I'm not even pretending that it is ... I know she would have either called out or someone would have worked for her tonight ... but it just hits me in the pit of my stomach that I should have been at home tonight, and she should have been at work, and none of this would have happened.
We found out at work tonight, a coworker called after she got the news from Jenny's boyfriend. Needless to say, we were all shook up. I think that's an understatement. Plates were dropped, orders weren't rang in ... there were a lot of tears. Life went on, but all any of us wanted to do was go home and hug our little ones ... and to find out how Summer was.
Just a couple of days ago, Jenny and I were making plans to take the girls to the park. We LOVE the tree park, and often took our girls there, but wanted to let them have a chance to play together. We knew they would get along, they both went to the same daycare ... but Jenny and I pulled them out to be able to spend more time with our girls. I'm just so incredibly at a loss for everything. I want to go back to Monday, and tell her I just can't make it in for her tonight, so that she would have been on the road later.
And then, the financial aspects of it. I know, if something would happen to me, that my parents would be there for Juliette. But, all I can think about is Summer literally being an orphan since Jenny took her away from her father. I know he wasn't a good dad, and I know that he had a lot of the same faults as James (my daughter's father) ... but I can't help but hope through this tragedy he can be there for Summer. He lives in a different state, so I don't even know if the family has called to tell him this happened. He hadn't talked to Jenny since she left almost 2 years ago. She just packed up her things, and left him. That takes courage.
I worry, since I don't have a legal will written, and I know I need life insurance. I know Jenny didn't have these things ... so I worry about what sort of lasting memorial Summer will have of her mother.
I lost a friend today, a courageous, loving, insightful friend. A daring mother, to a beautiful little girl. Hug your babies, and if they aren't there to hug ... call them on the phone.
http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=7e6f734c-8314-48db-8a59-ad175139e6d9
Her car was the green car. Seeing these pictures, I am praying that Summer is able to pull through.
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=961DFA006308CB10699F85D29F8DDA87?contentId=7402031&version=20&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1
Same facts, just a wonderful picture of Jenny. This is a few years old, but that's Summer as a little one.
I lost a good friend today
September 11th, 2008 at 03:57 am
September 11th, 2008 at 04:31 am 1221107486
September 11th, 2008 at 05:15 am 1221110110
Anyway, please do take care.
September 11th, 2008 at 05:56 am 1221112596
Try to get peace, I know that is easy to say but difficult to do. My good wishes are there for you and summer.
September 11th, 2008 at 11:14 am 1221131694
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I will pray for Summer, which is all we can do at the moment, and for her family and friends.
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