On Saturday, my family attended a memorial service that never should have had to happen. One week ago Friday, a carload of teens on their way to youthgroup was hit head-on by a drunk driver in the wrong lane. The driver, an 18-year old girl named Laura, and two of her passengers, an 18 year old boy named Isaiah and a 13 year old boy named Elijah were killed on impact. The third passenger, a 15 year old boy named Micah has been in the ICU ever since with extreme head trauma. Isaiah, Micah and Elijah were brothers, the only children of their mother. They were beautiful boys. Quiet, respectful, loved their mom. Laura was the youngest of 6 siblings, her daddy’s little girl, a lovely, joyful, goofy, strong, responsible young woman. It was Laura’s memorial we attended.

The drunk driver (20) had a passenger also. He was a 30 year old man named Daniel. He had two little girls. He was the only remaining son of his parents. His brother died tragically in 2009.

In one minute in time, everything changed for 3 families. Everything shattered. All because one young man made a tragically stupid decision to drive while impaired.

Here, impaired driving doesn’t get penalized very harshly. Many offenders go on to re-offend and hurt even more people. I hope that isn’t the case this time. I hope this young man learns something and sobers up hard. I hope this causes him to take a hard look at his life and make changes now, while he is young.

I hope this, because I watched a father try to make sense out of a world that sudenly has a gaping hole in it. I saw his bewilderment and the grief in his eyes. I watched a brother nearly crumple under his pain. I saw his glazed and distant expression as he struggled to hear the words of condolence that were offered to him. I watched a sister weep with a pain that will never really go away. I watched a 13 year old nephew break apart and a 16 year old niece try to bear up under her own pain.

I hope this, and I pray for his redemption, even as I pray for the recovery of the sole surviving brother in the ICU. I pray for him, even as I pray for Micah’s mother who is trying hard to be present for her son while destroyed over the loss of her other two. I pray for him, seeing the anger and pain and destruction his decision caused. At 20, he has killed 4 people and grieviously injured a 5th. He has broken three families, not including his own. He has wreaked havoc in a community that will be trying to cope with the loss for quite some time.

May he find conviction, repentance, and mercy.

May the families find endurance, healing, peace and forgiveness.