But first, let me backpedal a little. My sister was just in town a few weeks ago for her 10 year high school reunion. She had a great time, but each time she would point someone out to her husband, she would find herself saying, "Oh that's ____________. His/her ____________" and complete the sentence with some sort of tragedy that struck them or their family or the community. When we were talking about it before they headed home, we both agreed that there has been a lot of sadness associated with Coppell High School. Sadness doesn't consume this community, far from it, but especially in high school, there has been more than enough tragedy.
When I was a Sophomore or Junior, two brothers (one who was in middle school with my sister and one in high school with me) were killed in a head-on collision coming home from their parents' store. That was our first real brush with death...at least with death that wasn't an elderly relative. It rocked our community, because it wasn't just one young, innocent life taken, but two in the same family. When I was a senior, one of the friendliest guys I knew died unexpectedly. He had made a serious effort to turn his life around, and in a moment of weakness, lost his life. His brother was my sister's age, and we all felt that one. There wasn't enough room for all of us wanting to pay our respects at the funeral. The crowd literally spilled outside and heard the memorial via speakers.
Sunday, one of the star athletes on the football team, a 17 year-old Senior, went cliff jumping with some friends at Possum Kingdom Lake. He jumped, apparently resurfaced once very briefly (there's some discrepancy here) and then never resurfaced. That in and of itself is tragic, but our community is strong, and what happened afterwards makes my eyes fill up with tears.
Posts started popping up everywhere via Facebook and Twitter. An impromptu vigil was held on the football field at Coppell High School, where well over a hundred people gathered to pray and be there for each other and console one another. As most locals know, Coppell's biggest rival has always been the Southlake Carroll Dragons, and when they heard about this accident, the team members came to our house, our field, and in what can only be described as a true testament of solidarity and good sportsmanship, rallied around their opponents to show them that they weren't alone in their sadness. How can that not give anyone chills?
They resumed searching for this boy this morning, but have yet to find him. While I don't know the boy or his family, I know Coppell. The strength of this community is unmatched. Tragedy strikes time and time again, and the community never fails to come together, lifting up those who are hurting in prayer and supporting them as long as they need. Nobody feels alone in their sorrow here; there's always someone who is more than willing to shoulder some of the burden. His family is a pillar of strength during this heartbreaking time, and I know that even if they did begin to crumble, they would be lifted up...even higher than they were on their own because that's just how it works in Coppell. This whole tragic accident just further reminds me that we do not need to question God and His decisions, but rather find solace in knowing that God not only has a plan, but that we've been a part of it since before we even existed, and we just need to continue to trust in Him.
Lots of heavy hearts in Coppell tonight, but the solidarity is truly astonishing. A young life taken far too soon, a family being lifted up by those they know and those they don't, and a community that comes together in the face of tragedy without fail, no matter what makes Coppell what it is: a family.
Aubs
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