Rough.
Posted by robdalajara on April 9, 2011
Last Sunday morning, a man who was either drunk or high (or possibly both) swerved his Buick into the bike lane of a nearby road, colliding with two bicyclists. Ronald Doolittle II was killed instantly. His son, Trey, was hospitalized with brain and spinal injuries. A good Samaritan witnessed the accident and prevented the murderer from fleeing the scene.
Ronald’s ex-wife, Joy, and their 12 year-old twin boys live in Charlotte, which is roughly 4 hours from Wilmington. The boys found out during the car trip that their father died, and their older brother was in the hospital. Candy Hug, a dear friend of Joy’s and mine, called me to get my advice on how to console the twins after such news, since I was dealt a similar blow when I was of a similar age. I rambled a bit, before giving the best advice I could muster: tell them to share their feelings, no matter what they are. Masking your feelings, putting on a tough façade, does nobody any good. With all of my heart, I hope they follow my advice. Learn from my mistakes, boys; it will save you a lifetime of heartache.
Monday, Trey departed this world for the one beyond.
Tuesday, Beverly McClellan, Candy’s mom, passed on as well, ending what was on many levels an incredibly draining year. Her death, while not unexpected, compounded the sadness of that household. Joy and the twins are staying with the Hugs. Collectively the three deaths represent the loss of a mother, grandmother, one-time husband, father, son, and brother. I grieve for them, individually and collectively.
An interview with Joy was on the local news the other night, and it was apparent that through the tears, her faith in God is unwavering. I’m certain the same is true for Chris and Candy. It would be so easy in this situation to blame God. Instead, they lean into Him, and it is my hope that moments like these reinforce our belief that we desperately need our Savior.
