This past Thursday night right as I was falling into sleep, I was awoken to my phone ringing. My phone hardly ever rings at 11:00 at night! When I saw that it was my mom calling, I knew right away that something was wrong. I answered and my mom was crying. She then told me that my cousin Trey had died. I sat up and said "what!?". It didn't sink in. She had very little details. All she knew was that he got into a car accident and didn't make it.
I cried a little after hanging up with my mom. She was so upset, I didn't want to cry talking to her. I went to sleep that night praying for my family. This is the first tragic loss our family had ever seen. I thought about his wife who has been battling cancer. I also thought about his little daughter and even younger son. I can't imagine losing either of my parents and I'm grown. So sad.
Trey was only 29 years old. Him and I were born in the same year but he was 6 months older than me. We grew up together. Always at my grandmama's for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Trick-or-treating was always a blast. The last time I saw him was about 4 years ago. His daughter was tiny and his son was still in his mama's belly. Now, I wish I would have known that was the last time I was going to see him.
He was a teacher. From what I hear, a very good teacher. His students loved him, some looked at him like a dad. He was an
agriculture engineering and mechanics teacher at Goliad High School in Texas. He has lead many projects of restoring old vehicles, everybody's favorite was the General Lee from the "Dukes of Hazzard".
From everything I heard of the story, it was something that never should have happened. There was a group of people celebrating the end of the school year, Trey being one of them. Trey and another girl got into his restored 1927 Ford to run to the store. He lost control of the vehicle and rolled it. It was an old car, so there were no seat belts. They were both thrown from the car. The girl was airlifted to the hospital. My mom said she had a punctured lung, a few broken ribs and a ruptured spleen.
The funeral was yesterday. I, of course, could not go. Massachusetts is just too far. I thought about it all day. I knew all my family was together, so I couldn't call my mom to see how things were. She called me in the evening. It was heart wrenching to hear how badly his wife and my aunt were taking it. But, I know he is in a better place now, and we must all push forward.
There is good that came out of this tragic situation. My mom and aunt (his mom) hadn't talked to my other aunt in about 3 years due to sibling problems. Now, they have come back together, which makes me soooo happy! I hope it sticks!
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
Don't forget to thank a member of our
MILITARY!
