I remember when we heard that you had tried marijuana when Dad found some texts from Ethan on your phone. That was sophomore year when you were diving. I'm pretty sure that you stayed away from it once water polo season started and the next year when you were captain. I remember being sad when you were done with water polo and Ethan was over. I was afraid there was nothing to stop you from smoking it or do whatever you did with it. I think I expressed that to you but you brushed it off.
Since I found out that you had tried it, I noticed and saved articles about things that happened to people tied to marijuana. One was that lady who went the wrong way on the highway (I think in Illinois) and killed herself and a carful of children and two others in another car. She was really drunk but she also had marijuana in her system. I think that the two guys who placed the bomb at the Boston Marathon had some ties to marijuana as well and one of them ended up in a murder situation.
I remember you would get mad when I would bring it up. One time you were acting really goofy and I said, "Are you high?" You got mad at me when I said that. We would use that as a joke since then, although you still got mad about it when I said it. We discussed it before and I asked why you liked it and you said because it made you feel good. But I'm pretty sure you still denied using it.
I am thinking about this now because I saw an article about a young man who was facing charges for a car accident that killed his girlfriend because THC was found in his system, which is marijuana-related somehow. This made me think of the traces of cannibus (I can never spell that right) that was found in your system after the crash. The police said it wasn't enough to blame the crash on it, but they also know that a good sample wasn't obtained, whether blood or urine or what.
Dad was freaking out about this before the police report came out because he knew it could stay in your system for up to a week after using it.
These are facts-you used it, I don't know how often. It can be to blame for a car crash. Now what do I believe about it and you?
I honestly don't think that you could have been all you were and done all you did under the influence of some stupid drug. I've been called naïve before, but I know that I was dealing with the real, wonderful, amazing you on a daily basis and had no reason to suspect otherwise.
I think it would be hard to find a kid your age who doesn't have traces of alcohol or cannabis in their system. You kept up your demanding schedule with a big smile on your face. You accomplished so much in your short time on this earth. You were driven and ambitious. Some people probably want something to blame, like a substance. It could have been SO many things. Even if was simply drifting off at the wheel, although I think it was more than that because of the fact of the other vehicle having to move over and you still continuing in that lane. Something was wrong. Wrong. (I still love that italics font). Whatever happened to you in that car could have happened anywhere else-it just happened to happen while you were driving. We will never know that until we get to heaven. And God will be pleased to tell us. Even though He doesn't have to. And it will all make sense. Then.
There was a reason why a proper blood sample wasn't taken. To protect your reputation and testimony perhaps? I believe it wouldn't have mattered. You were fine when you left. Perfectly happy and healthy and alert. Ready to jump in the pool with those kids and teach them water polo. Bless you, dear boy. I believe in you, boy. Always.
I came across the article that prompted me to address this issue. It happened in Grand Rapids on August 19th. Here are some excerpts from the article:
Family asked for leniency when sentencing man charged with causing the crash that claimed the young woman's life
The collision killed the love of 23-year-old Brian Welch's life
"Police said Welch, Garza's boyfriend, was found to have THC-the active ingredient in marijuana-in his system when his car veered off the road and struck a tree in Lowell. Garza, who was riding in the front seat, died in the collision."
He got five years probation for operating under the influence causing death, a charge that carries a maximum punishment of up to 15 years in prison
"The exact amount of THC in Welch's system the morning of Aug. 19 crash on Vergennes Street SE was not disclosed during sentencing. His attorney, Terese Paletta, said the level was 'extremely low.'"
"Under Michigan law, driving with any amount of THC in the blood constitutes impaired driving."
"Family said the couple was heading home to Lowell from Anna Garza's residence in Belding, where'd they spent the previous night watching movies. Welch's Ford Taurus was discovered on the side of the road near Alden Nash Avenue about 7 a.m. Kristina Garza's relatives believe he may have fallen asleep."
"Anna Garza said Welch was not high the morning of or the day before the crash, which he spent with her family."
"'We will probably never know what caused the accident, but I know in my heart that even if Brian never smoked marijuana, my sister would still not be here today,' Anna Garza said."
"While Kristina Garza's relatives understand the necessity of enforcing the law, Anna Garza said she and her family don't understand the reasoning to 'force the connection' of marijuana to the crash."
"'The cause of this accident should not be linked to marijuana, so disconnected to the period in which the accident occurred,' she said."
No comments:
Post a Comment