A large bus careening down the highway during the early morning hours was full of passengers. Most of the occupants were young, strong, burly, men. They had seen so little of life; their years on this Earth were few. These solid souls were off to experience a novel adventure. The Division III Beavers, a student baseball team attending Bluffton University, were traveling to Florida's Gulf Coast for a season-opening double-header game. The youthful, pious, players were excited and expectant. They were about to experience a week in the sun. Fellow Mennonite men, women, students, and alum would watch from near and far as these boys participated in a week of games. Then it happened. There was an accident. Four fellows lost their lives when the bus toppled off a bridge. The driver and his wife also perished. People throughout the nation ponder; why. Why do the young die?
There is much reflection. The media is everywhere documenting the reactions to sudden death and destruction. American citizens, all contemplate how fragile life can be. Some say the incident was surreal.
News of the tragedy shocked the students on campus, many of whom were supposed to take midterms Friday before going on spring break. Jordon Bruner stood in front of the campus cafeteria, his jaw clenched tightly in an effort to not cry.
For the last two years, the senior has worked with the school's sports department and helped update its website. He said he'd gotten to know most of the athletes at Bluffton, particularly the members of the baseball team.
"I didn't believe it when my roommate woke me up this morning and told me we had to turn on the TV because there'd been an accident," Bruner, 21, said. "I had just seen them get on the bus Thursday night. We waved goodbye. It wasn't supposed to be goodbye forever."
No, it was not supposed to be like this. Young men and women are expected to live on forever, or at least we hope they will reach a ripe old age, perhaps marry, have children, or share their lives and wisdom in whatever way feels best to them. We, as humans, imagine that our progeny will be the next generation. They will have time to give and be great. People never think the young will pass before they have had an opportunity to grow. However, it happens. We struggle to understand why.
"Some people have asked why God would let something like this happen," Rodabaugh said. "How do you answer that, other than turn to your faith?"
Faith, trust, and a personal commitment to G-d can calm the soul. If we believe there is a reason for everything, and that every event has a purpose, then perhaps we will feel peaceful. we might seek solace in the Lord. However, memories linger. Reveries haunt us.
When you are among those that has their life shaken, you know . . .
"This is something that's not going to leave the guys who were on that bus this morning," said A.J. Ramthun, 18, a freshman second-baseman who suffered a broken collarbone, facial cuts and bruises. "This is going to be with us forever. We've been living together, practicing together. We've been a family for the past five months. Something like this morning really makes you think twice about life."
As a nation, we are witnessing death more so than we typically do. On March 2, 2007, many more young persons passed from this Earth. Eight students attending Enterprise High School in Alabama took their last breath without warning. They knew the tornado was coming; however, they did not think they would be hurt. The adolescents could not conceive of dying. Yet, they did, in fact pass away.
"We were sitting in history," the 10th-grader said. "She was smiling. She always smiled."
Ben had a crush on Katie, who was among eight students who died at their school Thursday when a tornado slammed into the main building, ripping off concrete roofs and flattening cinder-block walls.
Few contemplated injury. When we are young, we often believe we are immortal, indestructible, and enduring. The youth of America certainly have reason to think that no harm will come to them as they sit in their cozy homes, classrooms, cafeterias, and shopping centers. The elders do not consider the possibility either. Life is good in the USA. Tragedy rarely befalls us. Yet, currently it does. This country is being slammed by storms. Lives are lost. Devastation surrounds us. Perspectives are changing. Perhaps, it is time. We need to contemplate bereavement and battle.
While we are not in a war zone, we are experiencing, on a far smaller scale what families in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Israel might. Some Americans are realizing the pain that we permit in other nations.
A student recounts . . .
"Everyone was screaming, and there was blood everywhere," said sophomore Hailey Moore, 16, whose ribs were broken when a book hit her side. "I could feel the dirt and glass in my hair, and I just thought, 'Oh gosh. Is this really happening? Am I going to die?' " . . .
"It doesn't even look like our school," said Karana Brown, 18. "It's unbelievable to think we got out of that building." . . .
"Everything feels unreal," she said. "Everyone is in a phase where we don't know what's going on."
The children in war ravaged countries know what is occurring. It is daily and routine. Bombs drop, people fall to their death. Soldiers and or the people defending their land and their family's precious lives slam bodies up against buildings. Troops storm into homes without warning. Bullets blaze above the heads of innocent civilians, children. That is life; it is predictable and random. Violence and volatility are everywhere. A youngster might wonder, 'When will I die?' Could it be today or tomorrow. Anything is possible. Even if I survive on Friday, there is Saturday, Sunday, and then Monday, and Tuesday. Everyday brings a new death. A toddler in the Middle East understands, 'I may not have a mother, a father, a sibling, or a friend on Wednesday.' When fields are void of flowers and killing consumes the day, a child knows casualties and fatalities are a way of life.
Even combatants know not whether they will live or die; will they make it through the night. If these young warriors do awake, will their beautiful bodies be intact. Skin is delicate and organs so fragile. For the teens and young adults fighting on battlefields or in regions where war is a daily reality fear is forever. The fallen are many. Families worry too. Cries of 'My baby, my brother, my sister, my friend,' echo throughout the land.
Might we make this different. Perchance, Americans can come to a collective consciousness. Nature alone, particularly with the assistance of man, does enough destruction. Let the arbitrary and intentional killings end.
References for your review . . .
6 die in crash of bus carrying college team, Small Ohio town mourns four players and prays for the other passengers. By P.J. Huffstutter and Kevin Sack. Los Angeles Times. March 3, 2007
pdf6 die in crash of bus carrying college team, Small Ohio town mourns four players and prays for the other passengers. By P.J. Huffstutter and Kevin Sack. Los Angeles Times. March 3, 2007
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