May's Sad News

Men's 1600 meter race; May 31, 2011
Larry Steeb Memorial Track Meet, Ypsilanti High School

Today I was at the Larry Steeb Memorial Track Meet (named after a Whitmore Lake coach, but held this year at Ypsilanti High School).
I was presented by many students, coaches and parents wearing yellow ribbons in recognition of great sorrow for the family of Maya Long, whose mother was injured and whose father died in a domestic violence incident. You can read about it here. Maya is a junior and an extremely talented runner for Huron High School.

Last week I got news of the death of Seth Harsch. Seth was a junior at Huron High School, a football player and a railroad fan. When I knew him as a preschooler he was fun-loving and generally had a smile on his face. Yet he took his own life. You can read his obituary here.

And Ian Jenkins, a Milan High School sophomore, died just over a week ago in an accident--the fourth Milan student to die this year. Ian was a wonderful hockey player who had just been drafted into the Ontario Hockey League.

All in all, these events add up to a very sad month of May.
Let the families at Huron High School and Milan High School know you are thinking of them.

If you are a survivor of domestic violence, you can get help at 734-995-5444.
If you are considering suicide, or know someone who is, get help by calling 734-662-2222 (Ozone House for youth) or 734-996-4747 (for anyone).