I’m still a Vermonter at heart. Having been born and raised in the Green Mountain State, and with my parents and other family and friends still living in northern New England, I’m proud of my Vermont heritage and I enjoy keeping up on the news & events that occur up north. This usually means stories about the Vermont Lake Monsters or the latest effort to get a Walmart into the town next door to where I grew up. Unfortunately last night’s news greeted me with one of those stories that once again reminded me how fragile our lives (and the lives of our children) can be:
So. Burlington girl killed in tragic bicycle accident
South Burlington, Vermont – May 24, 2010
Amelia Sperry was 5 years old
Two communities are still in shock following a weekend accident that claimed the life of a young girl. Amelia Sperry was a kindergartener in South Burlington– just five days shy of her sixth birthday– when her bike collided with an SUV in a Shelburne neighborhood.
Police were back at the scene of the accident Monday morning, collecting more evidence. Authorities say Dr. John Macy had just driven into the Farmstead Drive neighborhood Saturday, when he noticed Amelia having trouble with her bike. He stopped his car until she was steady, then proceeded on, her parents waving to him as a thank you gesture. But as Macy slowed down approaching his driveway, Amelia sped up on her bike, not realizing the car was turning. Bike and car collided, pinning Amelia underneath.
“There were many people, residents were coming from all over the neighborhood with floor jacks anything they could to help free the little girl,” Shelburne Police Ofc. Dan Eikenberg said.
Amelia was a kindergartner at the Orchard School in South Burlington. Principal Mark Trifilio says it was a tough day but the teachers and students were getting through it together.
“You know these things just don’t happen in schools very often and the parents that come in are just grief stricken and they are also struggling right now, so we are trying to help the adults so they can be there for their kids. Our day is going well; it’s tough, but it has been going very well,” Trifilio said.
Trifilio says Amelia will be remembered as a very caring and sweet child. Her picture is on the school’s website.
At this point, it does not look like any criminal charges will be filed. Police say there is no evidence of excessive speed or negligence; this appears to be just a tragic accident.
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Shocking, isn’t it? Much has been written about sweating the small stuff. I’m not going to belabor the point here because we all know what it means. What I will say is the other night I got annoyed with my 6 year-old Molly. Why? Because she had the audacity to play Wii Super Mario Bros. quite badly, and she ended up getting my Mario character killed a couple of times. I didn’t yell at her or anything, but the fact I even thought this mattered for one millisecond is enough to embarrass me as I type this.
We all do this from time to time. It’s human nature to be bothered by the silly, inconsequential things our kids say and do. So as trite as this whole “sweating the small stuff” notion sounds, in my opinion we parents need these reminders so we can remember to lighten up and appreciate what we have. This morning I gave my kids extra tight hugs when they woke up. I’d recommend that you do the same.
Update: if you’re interested in reading more about Amelia Sperry’s life, here is her stirring obituary that appeared in the Burlington Free Press.
Don't be too hard on yourself. We all lose our cool sometimes, that's human. The fact that you have the introspection to realize how lucky you are is what's important.
Thanks Mike. You're absolutely right- we certainly can't be perfect dads, but making our kids understand just how much we love and value them is what's most important.
Chad, thank you. Love you buddy!
Kristie
Chad, I so appreciate the posts you write about parenthood. The other day at Hannaford, I made sure my youngest boy was tightly secured in the cart despite the buckle being a big sticky, twisted mess beforehand and I remembered your post about your experience in Target as i was getting him situated:) thanks so much for sharing so many of your own stories about being a dad, it makes me feel better to know there is someone else out there who worries about all of the same things I do.
Kristie- thank you for reading! Love you too!
Michelle- thanks, I appreciate that you take the time to read them and comment. The way I see it we're all in this parenting thing together! Sometimes it helps to be reminded that the stuff we go through and the feelings we have are shared by other families. Glad you feel the same way.