A Horrible Tragedy...Everyone PLEASE Hug Your Kids!

Tweet

This is a very difficult discussion to write and I'm typing through my tears. It's an all too familiar story these days, but for most of us it doesn't hit too close to home, thank God; this time, for me, it did. At this moment my grandchildren and their friends are devastated and crying. Last night a beautiful young girl named Britney, just 15 years old, committed suicide. She was one of my granddaughter Angela's close friends and had once been my grandson Todd's "girlfriend" - when they were like 10 and 11. I hadn't seen her for quite awhile but I knew her well and a few summers ago she was one of my many "adopted" grandchildren. For some reason most of Angela's and Todd's friends and most of the kids in the neighborhood started calling my husband and I Pop and Gram. I loved it and I love them all. I particularly remember one day when we were at our community pool. Angela, Todd, Todd's buddy and Angela's then "boyfriend" - they were around 9 and 11 - Jordan and Brittney hung out together all day diving off the diving board, doing cannonballs and when we were the only ones left there, sticking their heads under the ice cold water spigot that ran into the pool and then complaining they all had headaches. After the pool had closed at 7 pm we were the only ones left there. Shortly before that I'd asked Brittney if she needed a ride and she told me her mother was picking her up. As usual, Todd and Jordan took their good old time getting their stuff together to leave and before we got into my car I noticed Brittney still standing there by herself on the walk. I asked her if she was sure she didn't need a ride and she said, struggling to be casual about it, that her mom had "probably forgotten her and went to her brother's baseball game without picking her up first"! I told her to get in my car and then she told me I could drop her off at her grandmother's. Her grandmother didn't know she was coming but luckily she was home. It was at her grandmother's that she hung herself last night. Details are sketchy, but I'm assuming her grandmother is the one who found her. She'd apparently been staying there for awhile. There have been stories that she'd been bullied but I don't know how or by whom. Angela talked to her a week ago and said she'd seemed fine but a mutual friend told her she'd heard Brittney had been cutting herself recently. She goes to a different school from my grandkids so they haven't seen her on a daily basis but they have other friends and relatives that have. Angela is saying she wishes she could have done something to help. My daughter and I are also wishing that since we were both aware her mother didn't give her the love and attention she needed a few years back. My daughter tried to make up for it when she had the chance and for a time there it was almost like Brittney lived with her. However, as often happens, with the kids going to different schools and being involved in so many sports and other activities they stopped spending as much time together, but they'd always remained close friends. Everyone please give your kids or grandkids a big hug ASAP; if they're friends come around, give them one too! If you even think for a second something is bothering one of them, take it seriously, don't be afraid to intervene or interfere. Also, everyone of any age, please remember it's never bad enough to want to take your own life. No matter who you are SOMEONE LOVES YOU...give them a chance to help you! It WILL get better - it always does. Annie