Life or Death Decisions

The school had scheduled a game.

She liked a boy.

Teenagers made a plan.

A receptionist let them use the school phone.

Their parents all said yes.

I drove them to their ride.

He hit some black ice.

They had gone to work.

All little things that happened on a daily basis back then and still do today. Little did we know on that unusually warm January day in 1997 just how much those normal daily happenings would completely rock our world.

It was basketball season, games had been scheduled and planned before it had even started. The schools can’t predict weather in advance though and while a blizzard might have canceled the game that night a nice warm January day did not raise any alarms or cause one to even question if the game should proceed. Our school was scheduled for an away game with one of the schools across a mountain pass.

A young freshman girl had confided in her best friends that she thought a boy was cute. She liked one of the boys on the opposing team their school would be playing against that night. It just so happened that he was a cousin to one of her friends.

Thus the planning had begun over lunch that day. They would go to the game that night and afterwards be able to introduce the two. I am sure as most young teenage girl minds are they had whispered and giggled about the romance that would spring up after introductions. The little group of girls all wanting to be witness to this soon to be couple made plans to all go along for an evening of fun and flirting.

They rushed to the school office and pleaded with the receptionist to let them use the phone. I’m sure she smiled warmly at them all as she typically did and asked why they needed it. Calling parents was nothing to question or worry about, so she handed the phone over. The first call made was a success, her dad would be happy to take them over and see the game as long as all the girls had permission from parents. The other four girls from the small group just had to call and get permission now, but the lunch bell had rung. They started for class all promising to meet at the office after school and make the calls.

I waited by the car wondering what was taking her so long to get out here today. I leaned against the metal looking up and soaking in the sunshine that is rare during those winter months until I heard them coming. You can’t miss the sound of giggles and chatter from a group of over excited teenagers. “What’s up,” I questioned as they came closer.

“We’re going to the game in Cokeville,” chirped my little sister. “Um, does mom know about this,” I aksed. “Yeah,” she replied slightly annoyed and continued enthusiastically, “I called her and asked and she said yes! Can you drop us off at her house on your way,” she requested pointing at the tall blond haired girl next to her. “Sure, as long as she tells me the way.” I said without a second thought. They all jumped in smiling and talking away about boys as I drove off following the directions that sang out from the girl squished in the front seat with my little sister. When we reached the house the five enthusiastic girls quickly filed out rushing for the front door. “Thanks, love you,” my sister called as she waved goodbye to me. “Love you too, have fun,” I belted as I waved and watched her walk away.

The little group, now including the girl's father and little brother all snug in the van, sat visiting as they ascended up the winding mountain pass following a bend in the road and right into a patch of the dreaded black ice. The warm day had melted the snow just enough to let the cold liquid spread out on the roadway, but now that temperatures were dropping the water had turned to ice. Not just any ice it was the hated kind that didn’t give any signs or warnings of its existence. The van began to slide and spin. “Hold on,” the dad had yelled, trying to get it under control and keep it from going off the steep cliff on the right or smashing into the rock wall on the left. His efforts were all in vain though.

The fully loaded semi right behind them had no chance of slowing down or swerving to avoid collision and the semi driver making his way around the other side of the bend had no way of knowing he was about to make a horrible accident even worse.

Yes, January 17, 1997 started out like any other day for us, but it ended in devastation and heart ache. So many little normal everyday decisions completely changed the lives of many and took the lives of four beautiful teenage girls (one miraculously survived), one young boy, and a loving father.

Had the school known what would happen that night would they have still scheduled the game?

If the girl knew their fate would she have shared with friends her crush?

Would the teenage girls still have made their plans for that night if they knew they would never make it?

When the girls asked to use the phone would the school receptionist have let them if she knew the consequence?

Knowing their children were headed for death would the parents have agreed to let them go?

Could I have driven them to their ride for the game knowing it would be the last time I saw my sister?

With knowledge he would go to the grave with his son, daughter, and her friends would he have ventured out that night?

Experiencing the tragedy of that night would the truck drivers have gotten behind the wheel to do their job?

I am 100% sure of my answer and positive all others would be the same, NO, absolutely not! If I had known beforehand that I was a part of many similarly harmless decisions that would end in the horrible death of my sister and five others I would have done everything in my power to stop it.

Here’s the funny thing with life though, we don’t get the privilege of knowing the future, we only have the here and now. We can only do the best we can with the knowledge we have at the time. Could this have ended with the story of a love match made and high school sweethearts getting married years later and having a wonderful life, most certainly, but it did not. How I wish it did, but instead I still have dreams of my little sister. I still question what life would be like if she were still here. But, it has not stopped me from making schedules. It did not stop me from liking boys or even falling in love with one. I still made plans with my friends then and do today. I allow people to borrow my phone if needed. As a parent with teenage children now I say yes to requests to go with friends. I have driven on roads knowing they might have black ice. I still go to work.

Because, you can’t stop living, you can’t stop making small decisions for fear of what may happen. You make the best choice in the moment you have and take time to hold your loved ones and let them know you love them, because you never know when they will be taken away.