Coeur
New member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2009
- Messages
- 237
- MBTI Type
- INFP
- Enneagram
- 4w5
For some quick background information:
I'm in a program called Junior Lifeguards. You do lots of ocean swimming, running on the beach, and lifeguard training. It will help you become a lifeguard, if you wish, but I do it just for fun.
There are several groups. The C's are the youngest: Ages 9-11, the B's are ages 12-13, and the A's are 14-17. There are also safety aids, who are like A's, except that they help out the younger groups. The highest level is captians who are crazy athletic. I am a safety aid.
Moving on...
There has never been a death in the history of junior guards. Until now.
There's an exercise called "dropoffs" where the guards practice jumping off the back of a moving boat. It is a common lifeguard practice and is very safe.
Allyssa Squirrell was run over by the boat and killed when it turned to come back and collect the Junior Guards. Apparently, she and her friend were seperated from the rest of the group and the boat driver didn't see them. She was only eleven.
I cannot explain how shocked and devastated I was when I heard the news. I felt such a heaviness in my heart. I cried. I cried when I found out and I continue to randomely burst into tears.
When I first heard about the death, I thought: "PLEASE don't let it be a C!" Of course, she was.
Another thought that I had was: "we helped out the kids with a pier swim the day before she died. I could have encouraged her during her last pier swim without even realizing it." She was in an afternoon group, not morning, so this isn't the case.
I feel overwhelming sorrow for the situation. I worry for the younger kids who will feel scared after this situation. I feel bad for her friends and family. Her parents must feel so much guilt for enrolling her in the program. I feel bad for the instructors- all of whom care so much for these kids. I hope that they don't blame themselves- it was a freak accident. Especially, I feel bad for the man that accidently ran her over- he will never get over it. As it turns out, he is my neighbor. He has devoted his entire life to Junior Guards and has a daughter around Alyssa's age. This has struck him and his family so deeply.
It just cuts me so deeply. I mentally adopted these kids into my heart when I became a safety aid. Our job is to encourage the kids and keep them safe. I had wanted to be the best safety aid possible and I really developed a heart for these kids, especially as I encouraged them when they were scared. I know I had nothing to do with what happened- I wasn't even there- but it's no wonder that I'm so hurt when I didn't even know her.
Hugs and prayers to the family and to everyone involved. <3
Thoughts about death
-We see when people die, but we never are aware of the times that we could have died and were spared. All of us could be dead ten times over, protected merely by a split second, by God's grace.
-It gives me a perspective about attitude. Two days after she died, we did a difficult event. At first, I struggled through the water and complained. Suddenly, it hit me: "I'm lucky to be alive. Alyssa would love to be here right now doing what I'm doing." It made a world of difference.
I'm in a program called Junior Lifeguards. You do lots of ocean swimming, running on the beach, and lifeguard training. It will help you become a lifeguard, if you wish, but I do it just for fun.
There are several groups. The C's are the youngest: Ages 9-11, the B's are ages 12-13, and the A's are 14-17. There are also safety aids, who are like A's, except that they help out the younger groups. The highest level is captians who are crazy athletic. I am a safety aid.
Moving on...
There has never been a death in the history of junior guards. Until now.
There's an exercise called "dropoffs" where the guards practice jumping off the back of a moving boat. It is a common lifeguard practice and is very safe.
Allyssa Squirrell was run over by the boat and killed when it turned to come back and collect the Junior Guards. Apparently, she and her friend were seperated from the rest of the group and the boat driver didn't see them. She was only eleven.
I cannot explain how shocked and devastated I was when I heard the news. I felt such a heaviness in my heart. I cried. I cried when I found out and I continue to randomely burst into tears.
When I first heard about the death, I thought: "PLEASE don't let it be a C!" Of course, she was.
Another thought that I had was: "we helped out the kids with a pier swim the day before she died. I could have encouraged her during her last pier swim without even realizing it." She was in an afternoon group, not morning, so this isn't the case.
I feel overwhelming sorrow for the situation. I worry for the younger kids who will feel scared after this situation. I feel bad for her friends and family. Her parents must feel so much guilt for enrolling her in the program. I feel bad for the instructors- all of whom care so much for these kids. I hope that they don't blame themselves- it was a freak accident. Especially, I feel bad for the man that accidently ran her over- he will never get over it. As it turns out, he is my neighbor. He has devoted his entire life to Junior Guards and has a daughter around Alyssa's age. This has struck him and his family so deeply.
It just cuts me so deeply. I mentally adopted these kids into my heart when I became a safety aid. Our job is to encourage the kids and keep them safe. I had wanted to be the best safety aid possible and I really developed a heart for these kids, especially as I encouraged them when they were scared. I know I had nothing to do with what happened- I wasn't even there- but it's no wonder that I'm so hurt when I didn't even know her.
Hugs and prayers to the family and to everyone involved. <3
Thoughts about death
-We see when people die, but we never are aware of the times that we could have died and were spared. All of us could be dead ten times over, protected merely by a split second, by God's grace.
-It gives me a perspective about attitude. Two days after she died, we did a difficult event. At first, I struggled through the water and complained. Suddenly, it hit me: "I'm lucky to be alive. Alyssa would love to be here right now doing what I'm doing." It made a world of difference.
