I haven’t had a passionate topic since Remembrance Day. I usually wait for inspiration to strike and sometimes there is thump on the head that temporarily stuns you and reminds you to pay attention to life. We take far too much for granted.
On November 21, 2010, five sons lost their parents, three families lost a son, brother, daughter or sister, a school lost enthusiastic supporters and a community lost valuable contributors.
The accident occurred on a snowbound highway in Saskatchewan when a 17 year old driver made a bad decision. The result was catastrophic. Not only will the Dubois family pay for her decision for the rest of their lives but so will her family. She was pronounced dead at the scene along with Marcel and Brenda Dubois.
Four of the Dubois boys (young men) were members of the Iron Fist Tae Kwon Do School where my grandchildren, Nathaniel and Ashleigh, train. Each of the boys is dedicated to their sport and champions in their own right. Because of this tragedy, it is highly unlikely that they will compete again. In fact, a 13 year old young man will never walk again.
Michael, at 16, is a valued instructor who has worked with both Nathaniel and Ashleigh as they strive to meet their goals. He has a lot of patience with a 4 year old girl that wants to do everything that her brother does and then some. She isn’t afraid to fail and wades in with enthusiasm. Nathaniel is a little more cautious but no less dedicated. Michael has given them support, celebrated their milestones and provided solid leadership.
I grew up in Northern Manitoba where the gravel roads are bad in good weather. We were taught to drive for the conditions and never pass on a two lane highway unless you can see for at least a mile and the conditions are such that you could stop in time. Many of my friends found that out the hard way when they hit their first moose.
There are no answers and no room for speculation. It wasn’t the age of the driver, the tires, the car or the weather. Although, potentially contributing factors, it was a single bad decision that caused the accident.
There is risk in everything we do but it really sucks when it hits so close to home. Everyone needs a contingency plan.
To help provide a contingency plan for the Dubois family, I am asking that you can to send a small contribution to a trust fund that the school has set up. The size of the contribution isn’t important. A single dollar is as important as $1000.00. Contributions should be sent “In Trust to The Dubois Family”, c/o Iron Fist Tae Kwon Do, 675 Archibald Street, Winnipeg, MB R2J 0Y1, Canada. Your prayers and thoughts will go a long way towards giving them the support they need.
