Work As A Community To Prevent Any More Losses

My 14-year-old daughter Alicia Easterwood’s obituary should have read “fatal incident” rather than “fatal accident” because this tragic carnage was preventable. Alicia and two other young people were killed Nov. 2 when their car smashed through a guardrail and plunged down an embankment shortly after midnight.

Those asking “Why?” should realize the answer is a no-brainer - intoxication, excessive speed, no seat belts and a youthful misperception of invincibility.

Two issues deserving magnification were the loss of life due to underaged drunken driving, and teen runaways who embrace the life of “street kid.” Not only was Alicia not “forced out of her home,” as reported, but she had run from numerous other placements and facilities. Court orders were ineffectual at convincing Alicia to change her destructive course. Nothing seemed to faze Alicia until two weeks before her death she decided for herself to get out of the “squat” campsite, get off the streets and seek shelter and school at Crosswalk.

In the not-too-distant past, I used to read of incidents such as this and wonder “Why is a 14-year-old out at that time of night, anyway? Where are the parents in all of this? Why don’t people control their kids better?” Now I know better than to be so presumptuous. I know where I’ve been and what I’ve done with regard to my children. I don’t cry tears of regret as much as tears of a tremendous sense of loss.

This event has been a tragedy, but the aftermath doesn’t have to be. Community members can support prevention education. Appreciate and encourage the efforts of professionals who work compassionately with youth and families. Hold individuals accountable for their actions and most importantly, realize that everyone involved is a precious human being and inherently of value as a child of God. Extend respect and honor, regardless of appearance or status. Everyone is someone’s brother, sister, daughter, son, someone’s loved one. Support the efforts of trauma prevention, traffic safety education, MADD, the TEAM program in the schools, Crosswalk and juvenile diversion programs.

We have already buried these precious children. Now I will push up my sleeves and join the efforts of those who work toward preventing the loss of such precious potential and life. Will you?

MEMO: Your Turn is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a Your Turn column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write Your Turn, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615.