It's been a month since I experienced a truly life changing event. Let's start with how I experienced it.
*cue flashback effects and music*
Senior year, I finally made it. I'd been itching to finish highschool for so long and the end is so close. I am going to be the first of my siblings to actually graduate highschool. Both my brother and sister dropped out and got their GED years later. I'm so excited to take the next step. I already have an apartment and bills and my life is just getting started. No more highschool drama and bad cafeteria food. I really want to get out a little more and celebrate. Maybe see some old friends I haven't kept in touch with much over the years. When I move I know I'm really not going to be able to see them much at all. I know, I'll call Meagan, I haven't talked to her in so long!
*phone conversation*
Me: Hey! What're you doing tonight?
Meagan: Nothing, why? what's up?
Me: I wanted to hang out, I'm suprised you don't already have plans with Mike.
Meagan: oh.... um.... we're not together anymore.
Me: oh wow, I really haven't talked to you in awhile, are you okay? what happened?
Meagan: I'm fine, I'll tell you about it later, so what did you want to do?
Me: I dunno, I guess the only thing to do really is go play pool or something.
Meagan: okay, sounds good, I'll see you there in a bit
Me: Awesome, I'll call you when I get there!
*On the way home from hanging out*
I'm having such a good day. School's almost over, I'm getting a lot of attention today, I kicked Meagan's butt in pool and it was really good to see her again. I can't believe they're not together, but she seems just fine, maybe they really weren't meant to be. At least she's not dwelling on it, I'd hate to see her unhappy... I wonder what Justin's doing tomorrow I think he said he had a gig filming some comedy short for some guy, I can't remember his name.... gosh what is his name?
*Car slows at a traffic light the red glows on the blue dashboard. All of a sudden the phone vibrates, Anna jumps*
Me: heh, you scared me, whats up?
Buddy: Anna... Joey... *muffled*
Me: What?
Buddy: Joey drowned in the retention pond behind mom's apartment
Me: What!? oh god... oh my god
Buddy: *crying* Where are you?
Me: *on the verge of tears* I'm almost home, I'll be there in five minutes
*The red arrow turns into a blur as tears filled my eyes. CUE back to reality waves*
Now for some explanation... Buddy is my brother... so was Joey. My mom and dad have been divorced since I was four. A few years later my mom got remarried to a wonderful and loving ex-monk. They had a baby when I was six. He was birthed by a midwife in my mother's own bed. Immediately she said " I think he has downs syndrome" Sure enough she was right, and it was confirmed once they did some tests. Joseph Daniel was born on December 28, 1994. He was so cute. As he grew older he went through the same stages as any baby would, they were just a little delayed. When he was learning to crawl he refused to do it on his knees so instead he did this little bear walk around the house. I was there for his first steps... He lived off of yogurts and applesauce and nutritional additives, he just refused to try solid foods. He slowly learned words. He always kind of spoke his own little jibberish language, but you could understand some things, especially when they involved fans, dinosaurs and bones, or movies and TV. He was the biggest movie and TV fanatic I ever knew. If he were allowed to eat, sleep and watch TV all the time, he would. He would always get so excited that he would stand up in front of the TV so no one else could see. When I was about 14 or 15, Joey said my name for the first time when I went there to visit. Well, it was a version of my name. "Nana" I'd walk in and he'd give me a giant hug and a sloppy kiss on my cheek. And everytime I had to leave, he would sit on the sidewalk in his long T-shirt and a pair of training underwear and cry. We would read books together, he would read to me in his language, but it still worked. About a year and a half - two years ago I invented a game, it was the animal game and I would say "Hey Joey, be a shark" and he'd do the shark hand. Then I would say "Now be a moose!" And he would spread his fingers on both hands and put them on his head. He was so smart. We had so much fun....
Thursday, May 11 my little brother wandered out of the apartment right after a shower and still wanted to play in the water, so he walked to the pond behind the apartment and started splashing in the water. He even stripped down to his skivvies (he didn't know better at that point) and layed them nicely on the grass. A witness said he just walked into the water, there was no sign of struggle. The retention pond had a 10 foot drop off about four feet from the water's edge. My mom was asked to stay inside. He was declared at the first hospital, but then they found a pulse, they lifted him to the children's hospital in Jacksonville. Buddy, Justin and I drove up there after my finals the next day. He was on all of the machines, all that was keeping him with us were the life support machines. It was merciful to allow his body to be with us a little longer, but his soul was already watching down on us.
Everything was so surreal. I'd never lost anyone before... I can't believe it had to be my baby brother, he hadn't even gotten a chance. He was just starting to go through puberty, at 12... he had peach fuzz on his upper lip.
The following night at 10:10, we all stood around the hospital bed. The doctor said he might be able to keep going on his own for about 20 minutes. My mom gave the word and they unhooked everything. We were all hoping for a miracle, but little did we realize that he was a miracle in itself ever since December 28, 1994. He took his last peaceful breath at around 10:15.
At the wake I was so touched by the people who came. Joey really did make a difference to EVERYONE he came in contact with. Joey was the epitome of God's child and love. The funeral was nice, Justin filmed it for my mom. I just can't imagine what she's going through everyday, he was such a big part of every single day for her.
Rest peacefully my little angel...
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