"Death Brought Life" by Lauren L

            January 28, 2017

2:30 p.m.

Looking through snapchats in an effort to procrastinate from doing my homework.“Buzz Buzz” I open the text message, anticipating a funny meme or joke, but instead I’m greeted by a news image of a missing person report. An all too familiar face is on the cover of the report, and it hits me that my friend and coworker has been missing since Friday night. I quickly go on to twitter, attempting to get all of the information and answer all the questions that are racing through my mind.

2:45 p.m.

I find a news article: “Lake Arrowhead”, “no phone”, “never came back”, “missing”. All the words appear on the screen and I can’t believe it; I start to panic, I contact my friend telling them what happened as fear begins to set into my mind. I start to tell myself that it’s all going to be okay, that people who go missing are always found alive, that it’s all just an accident, that everything is going to work out and nothing is really wrong.

5:00 p.m.

I try to distract myself and reassure myself that it will all work out, that nothing is wrong. At this point I’ve convinced myself that he’s okay and that they will find him within the next couple hours; I go about my daily routine and distract myself from it all.

January 29, 2017

3:47 a.m.

I’m asleep, but at this time they found him in Lake Arrowhead and a news report comes out that he has been found.

8:05 a.m.

I’m getting ready to go to the pool for a Lifeguard interview until “Buzz Buzz”, I just got a text. I see the preview for the text and it says that “they found him.” I look at it and feel relieved, thinking that everything is okay because they found him….until I opened the rest of the text. “Victim found in 30 feet of water” One, two, three, I hold my breath in hopes that it’s not true.

8:15 a.m.

I arrive to work, slowly walking through the parking lot with my head hung low, the sun is out but a gush of wind sends chills through my body. I approach the sliding doors, carefully deciding where to place my feet as I walk through the doorway. In the lobby, nothing but the sounds of breathing and sniffles from everyone staring at their feet while sitting on the cold leather chairs.

8:45 a.m.

We’re all called into the classroom, and in unison everyone raises from their chairs drags their feet across the floor. We all file into the room and slouch into the black rolling chairs, elbows on the table, hand in heads, staring at our feet. The lady at the front starts to talk to us, but I feel like I’m underwater listening to the muffled words of the people above. We are all told that the interviews are canceled due to unforeseen circumstances… but we all know the real reason why-our friend is dead.

            This story is about one of my friends and co-workers who met an unfortunate and tragic death at a young age. His death was one that shocked all of us, and left many, including myself, heartbroken and in tears. We were all confused at the sudden news of his death, wondering how it all even happened, but more so we continued to ask ourselves “Why him? Why now? How? Who? How could this have happened?” As the story of his death began to unfold, more confusion was the only thing present, no closure, no answers, no reason. But soon I began to see just how big of an impact this person had on the world and people around him, as posters began to pop up around the city about this person and the message others were sending out to the community. I realized that his death did have some positives come out of it, that his physical absence didn’t mean the ending of his existence in the world. If anything his death brought many people together and encouraged others to live a life full of kindness, compassion, and love; although death is never an event anyone wants to occur, something beautiful can result as others learn about the life of the deceased individual and all of the people they touched in the world. The death of Dawson will never be something easy to understand and he will forever be missed by all, but his compassion has set an example for others to live a life full of love.