Innocence Lost

The world stood still once again on Friday December 14th when a gun-crazed 20-year old not only ended his own life but also ended the life of 27 others including 20 young and innocent six and seven year-olds. 

I vividly recall sitting in front of my television as an eighth grader during April Vacation on Tuesday April 20, 1999 watching horror unfold nearly 2,000 miles away in the little Denver suburb of Littleton, Colorado. 

Now flash forward eight years later, Tuesday April 16, 2007, sitting in the McDaniel College pub eating lunch, my eyes fixated on the TV tuned into CNN, which was following coverage of a lone 23-year-old English major from Virginia Tech who killed 32 classmates and injured another 17. 

And less than five months ago, a doctoral student caused mayhem at a midnight premier of "The Dark Knight Rises," injuring 59 attendants and killing 12. 

But this one is different. It is different for one reason: the age of the victims. 

These were not high school or college students who may or may not have tormented the perpetrators to commit these awful crimes. They were not average citizens seeing a movie premier. These were innocent, six and seven year old kids who were preparing for a full-day of school and looking forward to Christmas and having a week off from school . 

Speaking from the point-of-view of a summer camp counselor of 11 years that worked primarily  with the six and seven year old age groups, it hits you hard like Jerod Mayo sacking an opposing quarterback. 

And what makes it even worse is that the kids who did survive are also suffering here. The survivors will remember and might even be haunted by Friday December 14, 2012 for the rest of their lives. 

I saw this because six months ago I attended Watertown High School's Class of 2012 graduation - my second group of campers from the summer of 2002. One girl, who I will refrain from using her name on here, came up to me and gave me a hug after the ceremony because she remembered. That was 10 years ago when she was eight and it was a summer day-camp. 

But the truth is these kids do remember and it doesn't take much. 

It can be trying to calm down a seven year old, who is afraid to leave mom or dad on the first day of camp, by coloring in a quiet area or playing in the Stanely Cup with a group of nine and 10 year-olds. You do make an impact in a child's life. 

The survivors will remember and won't forget, you just wish they didn't have to remember this. And that is what hits so hard.