Remembered

This past week I attended one of the most difficult events I have had to attend to date. I attended a funeral for a wonderful, kind, amazing nineteen year old young lady who was a former swimmer for our Citrus County Swim Teams and a former Crystal River High School student.

The service was standing room only and was filled with many current and former high school students whose lives were positively affected by this special young lady.  These young people came together to comfort, love and care for one another.  I was honored to know this young lady and I felt privileged to have had an opportunity to listen to her close friends share their personal stories of the imprint she left on their lives.

My wife and I sat in church with other swim coaches, swimmers, and swimming family members but the church was also filled with people from all her walks of life from former classmates, current college classmates, coaches, teachers and administrators from her schools and many others that knew her.  Looking around I could not help but have my heart eased some by the great love all these people showed by attending this special service and many sharing stories about her life.

Reading comments all over Facebook, the common theme from all was, “tell the people you care about that you love them”!  “Don’t wait, just say it now”!

I hope to never ever have to attend another occasion like that where we lost someone so very young and who had such a promising future.  We pray for her family, friends and our community as they are dealing with and feeling this loss so greatly.

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