sad to see this in the news

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/4907655/

saw this story on the news tonight and immediately had to to find it on wral.com.

i used to work with this fellow when i worked with DOT.  way back in 'the day' - back before his apparent crooked days.  back when i met him and worked with him, he was one of the nicest guys in the office.  he was always helpful and went out of his way to get me what i needed.  he had a daughter and, since i was the only female who went in the field (and then there was only one other female - the administrative assistant), he really looked after me.  he never gave me a hard time and tried to teach me all he knew about drilling.  for example... you know how, as a woman who knows little about cars... if your car was making a noise and you didn't know why it was doing it, you'd call a mechanic and say "my car is going blebhhhh blebhhh" - well, he'd take my description and tell me what to tell my (usually stumped) drilling crew to do to fix it.  in that, i learned a lot about drilling and engines and motors and moving parts in general.  and i know that it is he that i have to thank for that knowledge.  he really was a super guy.

but unfortunately, things change for people.  rather, a series of both misunderstood and unfortunate events can happen around a person that can affect said person so much that it changes the core of who they are.  and, i guess that is just what happened to him.  and it is SO SO sad to know that i was near him when it happened.  (and when i say near, i mean i was close enough to hear stories.  unfortunate events + small town = gossip.  and i don't particularly like gossip, but, those things did change him.  because he pled guilty.  and the man i knew would never do things like that.)

this brings me to one of the "worst case scenario" i can think of, and it happened to my sister's old neighbor.  they were a family of 5, and now a family of 4.  they lost the baby at about age 3 to brain cancer.  sarah parker was her name.  well, those parents (and her brothers), well they clearly have experienced a series of unfortunate events.  those type events can change a person (and a family).  i suppose there is a fork in the road in a situation like that and you can choose to take the angry road or you can keep on praying and, although you may still not understand, stay on the holy road.

i hope that none of my friends or family or myself ever reach that fork.  and if you or i do, i hope we choose the right path.  and, i hope it isn't too late for my old friend.  i know he was a good man.  i hope he can remember how great being that way felt like.