Feeling flatter than a pancake

I've been compelled to write too many posts of this nature since I started this Blog, and I don't mind admitting that I'm feeling pretty down right now.

This past Sunday started out wonderfully when brilliant sunshine streaming through the bedroom window stirred me from a night's rest with it's bright and warm embrace. Following my normal morning routine, there was coffee and social media as I mentally revved up for what looked like another gorgeous August day, potentially at the beach. A post from a former student from BCC, Ben Browne, sent me into a tailspin, and further searching plus a phone call from Adam Duke, a parent from my BNC days, revealed that a profound tragedy had taken the lives of 6 young people from the Barrie area, two of which I had taught and/or coached.

It's inevitable that we all meet our maker ... as the saying goes, None of us get out alive ... at some point but to be cut down in the prime of your young life is horrific, to say the least. As an educator, we're introduced to literally thousands of young people through the classroom or extra curriculars over a 30 year career, so the chances of grieving the loss of one is pretty high, something I unfortunately have experience with. To lose two great young men in the same travesty is mind-boggling.

RIP Curtis King 1999-2022 graduate of BCC/ISS

I met Curtis when he was a grade 9 student at Barrie Central. He was placed in my HPE class, and as an early bloomer, was already over 6 feet tall, gifted with tremendous athleticism for a 14 year old, plus a mischievous glint in his eye. I would come to learn that Curtis had a great way with others, a wonderfully quirky sense of humour, and never shied away from the spotlight. It soon became apparent that his passion was for football, and considering his physical gifts, he was a standout on the junior FB team. A natural leader, he occasionally rubbed his mates the wrong way because he possessed a well developed sense of self, something they viewed as arrogance, but I believe was extreme confidence.

As a unique factoid, he was the last player to score a touchdown representing BCC, an accomplishment made only more awesome given the fact is was a one-handed, over the shoulder highlight.

When Central was closed in 2016, Curtis transferred to Innisdale and we lost touch. We shared brief encounters over his Sr years as he continued to shine on ISS's football teams until he graduated in 2019. 

It was really easy to like Curtis, high praise if I'm honest.

RIP River Wells 1999-2022 graduate of BNC

I first met River when he entered BNC in grade 9. He was friends with some of the other boys who I had in HPE classes, and as a standout athlete, I enjoyed his escapades on the pitch in both Jr FB and Rugby. It was readily apparent that he was very athletic and "tough as nails", as the saying goes. 

It was in his grade 11 year when he played Sr rugby that I got the opportunity to understand River the person. He was a relatively quiet young man, at least around adults, but was always courteous, pleasant, and quick with a smile when we spoke. He was quietly proud of his indigenous heritage, something we shared a few conversations about, but I knew that there was stuff going on under the surface that he kept locked up. As we travelled our journey together, I would find out that he had many obstacles outside of school that impacted him, occasionally putting school and athletics on the back burner. To his credit, he persevered through the high school years and I think came away with loads of things to be proud of.

I personally found River to be a great young man and I truly enjoyed our friendship, but he earned my complete respect with the ferocity that he played the sports he loved. Humble to a fault, he accepted praise for his play with a shrug, a grin, and a sheepish nod of the head. I only regret that I didn't make more of an effort to know him better outside of athletics.

One moment that sticks out in my mind was the celebrations after the 2019 GBSSA Championship Rugby game, a win that had escaped River's buddies and he for 2 seasons, when I found him amidst the hugs and hollers to offer my appreciation of what I thought was his best game I had seen. With a hint of a tear in his eye, he accepted my congratulatory hug and sincerely thanked me for all I had done. 

As it turned out, his cohort was not finished. As a group, River and his buddies one-upped the GB win by winning the school's first OFSAA banner with a Consolation Championship win over perennial powerhouse Brantford CI, a feat that I know made all of them extremely proud. The smile on River's face in the melee after the win told anyone who cared exactly what it meant to him. We didn't talk much when I  offered him a hug, and I took that to mean that he had found some contentment in his life.

Although we stayed in touch on social media following his graduation in 2019, we didn't enjoy a personal conversation during that time, definitely something I can only regret now.

The greatest praise I can offer for River is that I was truly proud to have met him.

To Curtis' and River's families, I can only offer my sincerest condolences for the pain they must endure over the coming days. To arrange your last goodbyes to your child is certainly something I wish on no parent, a torture that I can only imagine. To all of the many friends that they made over their short lives, I offer you an olive branch of hope that you will learn of the fragility of life, and move forward in your own paths armed with clearer understanding that things can change in the blink of an eye. 

To the families of the other 4 young people, although I didn't personally know your child, my most sincere sympathies for the same pain you will endure. 

Rest in peace and God Bless all.