“WE MISS HER !!!” These three simple words probably sum up better than anything
we can say or write regarding the impact of losing Cindy, our daughter, at the
hands of a drunk driver.
What was
to be a joyous occasion, turned into, for us, only the beginning of what was and
still is the loneliest, most depressing, gut wrenching and heart breaking time of
our lives.
Cindy
had gone out with friends on the night of November 6, 2004 to celebrate her 21st
birthday. She had just turned 21 on the 18th of October. Coming home early the
next morning she was killed instantly by a drunk driver. Her injuries were so
severe that the autopsy report indicated that she died within seconds after
having received traumatic injuries to the head and chest areas. We learned
of her accident on the morning of November 7th from the Illinois State police.
I know that receiving this news was and continues to be a turning point in our
lives. Nothing, nothing will ever be the same!
While a
person who suffers major injury, such as broken bones, will initially suffer much
pain, there will be in time a healing process that takes place. Broken bones or
injuries normally heal over time. However, the loss of a loved one, especially
one’s child, is a hurt that can never ever heal. No matter how long we live the
pain of losing Cindy will always, always be with us. She cannot be replaced or
reproduced.
Cindy’s
loss has dramatically affected our daily lives. There is not an hour of the day
that a memory or thought about Cindy doesn’t cross our minds. The hurt of losing
her will continue within us until we die. While we have many pictures and
memories of Cindy displayed in our home, these items are not necessary to
trigger a thought about Cindy.
While, as I mentioned,
pictures are not in themselves necessary to trigger a memory, they do remind us
of many happy times in our daughter’s life. For example, displayed in her room
is a First Communion picture. Here is a picture of a little innocent girl taking
Jesus into herself for the very first time. Next to this photo is another picture
of Cindy with her high school bowling team. Thank God we have these types of
pictures as they help us remember happier times, but looking at them is also
very painful.
Cindy was a
young, very intelligent adult who had her whole life ahead of her. She planned
on being a surgical nurse so that she could help and serve people. That was
Cindy, never asking a lot only being ready to help others.
As we w
rite these memories we are crying again. A very big part of our family was taken
from us. Although there were 4 people in our immediate family, we now feel that
losing one of them is equal to losing 99% of our family. Yes, the three of us are
very close and now we also have a new, loving daughter in law, but Cindy’s death
took something from all of us.
If there is
any saving grace that is helping us through all of our misery and sorrow, it is the
support and prayers of our family and friends. Cindy’s death not only affected our
immediate family, but also deeply touched our extended family and friends. To
these people we say thank you again. Our lives can never ever be the same as
before the accident. This we know. However, with the support of our family
and friends and believing through our faith in God that someday we will be
reunited with Cindy, we keep a memory of Cindy in our hearts and minds forever.
She is our daughter, now gone before us, but waiting for us as we wait to
reunite with her. Cindy, we your family and friends, love you and miss you.
Bob and Pam Cebrzynski
