Going into this hockey-hounding campaign, I knew February was going to be a rough month. The Tampa Bay Lightning would find itself wrapping up a 12-game homestand, entertaining such Western Conference teams as the Detroit Red Wings, Phoenix Coyotes and St. Louis Blues.
That alone, I thought, would make for some long days. Sadly, that's not what has made this month, even moreso this past week, especially painful.
In case you haven't heard, David S. Crawford, a St. Petersburg police officer, was shot and killed last week, the third member of the department to be killed in less than a month. Just as a city we now call home began to move along in the grieving process, this sad scene will play out again.
Rather than a wanted felon pulling the trigger, as what happened in late January when St. Petersburg police Sgt. Tom Baitinger and canine Officer Jeffrey Yaslowitz were struck down, it's a 16-year-old boy who now stands accused in Officer Crawford's death.
Yes, a 16-year-old boy who, in an instant, destroyed two lives and shook an already stunned city to its core.
Before this unfortunate and senseless act happened, there was another twinge of sadness last week. Monday marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of Tyler Dobies, a 15-year-old who participated in the same hockey program as Colin.
Sadly, Tyler died of a drug overdose. Yes, at 15. Before his death, Tyler was like an older brother to Colin, one of a handful within the program who'd taken Colin under their wings. Unfortunately, we knew nothing about Tyler's demons. Very few people did.
Last Sunday, as Colin skated on his home rink, he stopped to look at Tyler's No. 46 Pinellas Police Athletic League jersey hanging on the wall. Tears soon fell down Colin's cheeks. For good or bad, Colin misses him. He knows Tyler made a mistake. Colin also knows that's all it takes to lose your life.
Over the past year, Colin has kept one of Tyler's prayer cards tucked in his helmet. He also has a "TD46" written on his helmet. That hard lesson, as sad as it is, is the only good thing to come from it.
Thankfully, Colin remembers.
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Extremely sad story about officer Crawford. When events like this occour, the ripple down effect hits tens if not hundreds of people directly. The victoms spouse, children, parents, brother/sisters, grandparents, friends and co-workers......then there is the accused and all of the above once again.
ReplyDeleteAs a firefighter (my profession) we lose co-workers each year as well, however as a result of a whole different set of circumstances. I have many friends who are police officers and I would never trade professions with them. Each year thousands of workers die on the job (whatever there profession maybe) Police Officers are one of the few jobs that involve putting themselves in harms way for complete strangers (men and woman in the military come to mind as well). For that one characteristic alone I have all the respect in the world for them and I grieve for Officer Crawford and his family.
Next time you see a police officer or persons from the military, take a moment and say thanks.....
Mr. Al