KRISTI, I AM SAD FOR ALL OF US WHO HAVE LOST A CHILD. ITS THE WORST POSSIBLE THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO ANY HUMAN BEING. I SAW ON YOUR SITE, THAT YOUR SONS BIRTHDAY IS APPROACHING. MY SON PAST AWAY LAST AUG 28 . DRUG OVERDOSE. HIS BIRTHDAY WAS THIS PAST JUNE 28-FIRST ONE SINCE HIS PASSING. I WAS AS DIFFICULT AS I IMAGINED THAT IT WOULD BE. I HAD A SMALL CAKE WITH IS NAME ON IT, CANDLE AND STARTED UP A SMALL PLANT THAT I CAN HOPEFULLY NURTURE ON MY SONS BEHALF. MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU. VALERIE

Hi Kristi,
Thank you for writing back so soon. Yes we live in a small community. It sounds kind of familiar. Aidan's friends still come over and we are connected on facebook. My husband seems OK but I keep a close eye on him. I don't like leaving him alone, not because I worry he would hurt himself but just because I don't want him to get lonely. We talk about Aidan a lot. I have been going to counselling but he hasn't. I wish we had a support group here but we don't. I would like to see a compassionate friends chapter open here. There are enough bereaved parents to do it but someone has to be willing to start one. I fine that I don't want to socialize unless I am with friends that I can talk openly about Aidan as if he were still with us( and I think he is spiritually) I do talk to him and although I haven't heard his voice I have gotten signs that suggest he hears me and responds. It is hard to get past the memory of the trauma. As time goes on that has settled somewhat and I remember the rest of his life but it really makes me sad to think of him. It is like a deep deep ache. Do you see the boy who shot your son? What is that like for you? Does it affect you still to see him or does that get easier? Do you have a memorial page for you son. I do, It is Aidan Neary.
Mary

I read some of your posts and am going through some similar experiences. My son Aidan was shot and killed by a "friend" He ws 14 at the time and the boy who shot him was 15. He had gone over to this boy''s house after school with 3 other boy's to download some music off itunes. When there the boy took guns out. He was playing with a 44 magnum. He first put the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger then aimed it at Aidan and pulled the trigger. Aidan was across the room leaving. the bullet went through Aidan and hit another boy. We went through a criminal trial. The boy who shot Aidan was sentenced to 2 years in a juvenile facility which is right next to where I work. It has been 18 months and he is already going out on passes. He came to church a few weeks ago. I could not believe it when I looked out and saw him in the congregation. My whole body went into shock. I was so angry. The thought of having to see him in my community and not having my Aidan with me is so painful. Our family's life is so devestated by this loss. Aidan was such a beautiful boy. He was a cancer survivor too and so wise for his young age. He was the kind of person who could light up a room. The whole community mourned deeply when he died. His best friend was there with him and is traumatized. The other boy who was shot lived and is doing OK but has a bullet in his spine that was not able to be removed. He is traumatized. My husband is so sad without his son. He was our only son. We have a daughter who is going off to college in the Fall. She took a year off after graduating from high school because she didn't want to leave us after losing Aidan. They were very close.
Sorry to say so much but what you said about your feelings toward your son's killer really reminded me of my situation. No one else can really understand who hasn't gone through it. There was no excuse for what that boy did. He knew the risk he was taking. Right before he killed Aidan, Aidan took all the bullets out of the gun and was leaving the room. That boy put one bullet back in. His excuse was that he thought there were 2 empty chambers and he miscounted. He said it was an accident. I wanted to scream when I heard that. There is something seriously wrong with a boy who would do that.
I had better stop for now. Take Care, Mary

Your story was just like mine..we felt the need to blame the hospital because since my aunts death was so unexpected the autopsy showed that the medication they gave her OVERDOSED her..but we still do not know how her body shut down to a medicine that was supposed to help someone on life support. Im really sorry for your 16 year old son, even though i never met you or him im sure he was a great son/kid. I am also really sorry to hear your problem with the police and the whole situation with you or your family bieng denied access to say goodbye to your loving son. It has been almost 6 years since my aunt passed away and i always pray and dream if i could just go back in time and help her and if not atleast say goodbye. Your son didnt deserve what happened to him, and i hope that the 'other kid' gets his punishment in his life..but keep in mind that your son just like my aunt is watching over both you and i making sure no harm is done to us. You are in my prayers and you have all my condolences.

Dear Kristi,

It's been awhile since your last post. I just thought about you and hope that you are doing well. I shared some scriptures with a lady today who lost her 19 year old daughter. Then I thought maybe they would encourage you too. Since I said I didn't want to overwhelm you with the Bible, I'll just leave the references and you can look them up in your own copy of the Bible if you want to: Psalm 34:18; Psalm 55:22; 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4; 2 Thessalonians 2:16, 17. I pray that these bring you some comfort and that you are getting along fine.

Dear Kristi,
I'm at a loss for words. I was shocked to hear about your friend. I am so sorry. When we lose someone, people say that it helps to focus not on their death, but on the good memories. You've probably heard that a hundred times, but I think it really works. Especially so in the case of your friend. He must have been going through something very difficult to have taken such a final step. I'm sure that he was a good person. And if that's so, hold on to that. Don't let anyone tell you differently just because he took his own life. We can only presume to really know what moves someone to do that, but that doesn't mean that they are a bad person. I pray that you have the strength to endure this and continue to comfort others as you already do.