I ran at Vorhees State Park this morning, 2 minute walk and 10 minute run X 3, plus a 5 minute warm-up and a 5 minute cool-down. I was able to keep an easy pace, breathing was effortless. It was so beautiful, so peaceful in the park. I was in heaven. I thought of Tommy, as though he were running beside me, was his heaven as beautiful? I felt such freedom, as tough I had no worries, just complete joy in the moment.
I wrote letter to Tommy just after he died. I only shared it with Tom, my husband, Tommy's father. Today I felt I wanted to share it with you:
August 4, 2005
Dear Tommy,
I can’t remember the exact time I knew of your passing, maybe it was 9 o’clock in the evening. I do know it was a warm, quiet Saturday night, July 30, 2005. I was waiting to hear from you after you called me at 10:20 am that morning, you seemed so pre-occupied,you asked where Alison was and you asked about the title for the escort. You also asked me what I was doing...why didn’t you call back…why didn’t you tell me you needed a ride….why Tommy…why..?
I'd arrived home that evening from 5:00 o’clock Mass and was sad to see your car wasn’t in the driveway. Mass had been long because I had expected Fr Radocha to put something about the prayer group in the bulletin but he didn’t. I was upset about that. I remember looking at my watch…5:14 pm the reading of the Gospel…5:40 the Consecration…
I got home by 6:15 and when I saw you weren’t there I decided to go shopping at Giant, but when I got to Giant I didn’t feel like shopping…I was feeling so heavy....so sad..but didn’t know why. I went home with only a few groceries and put them away. I thought of calling you but then decided to go for a walk at the bike path, if you weren’t home by the time I was finished I thought I would give you a call. As I walked, I kept thinking of Keanu Reeves…Alison’s friends always called you Keanu because he looked so much like you…the way you moved…the way you smiled… I had these thoughts of how I must think of you when I see Keanu…I didn’t understand these thoughts. I had never thoughts like that before.
I love you Tommy, don’t you ever forget that…you are my boy.
You were not at the house when I got home from my walk. I made my frozen dinner, poured a glass of wine and picked out a DVD to watch. I chose Steel Magnolias (I thought that I could watch that movie and cry at the part where the daughter dies but feel so much better after the movie is over because I would know that my children were all safe and sound). Surprisingly I couldn’t get the DVD to work. The movie would start but then just freeze up…just stop. I tried and tried…it would start then I would sit back down and continue to eat my dinner only to have the movie stop again at the beginning when the gun fire goes off. I thought of calling you….that is when I heard the knock at the door.
Stephen answered the door…he said “Mom its a Police Officer and he wants to talk to you”. I walked the Policeman out the door…the dogs were barking and I didn’t want him inside (it was also too messy in the house). I remember him saying “you may not want me to talk to you about this outside” but I smiled and I told him it was okay. I looked at the little pencil pad he held in his left hand. It had your name, my name and the Ford Escort listed on it. I pointed to the pad and said “That is my car that I gave to my son Tommy…..I just need to get the new copy of the Title and we are transferring it to Tom…” The officer nodded and said there was a terrible accident involving that car. I expressed surprise and asked if you were okay…was there anyone hurt..? He said something about a fatality…a fatality…..I immediately thought of how terribly upset you would be to know that you were in an accident where someone was hurt…I asked about you. He was saying something over and over but it didn’t register…I was staring down the street…..the night had fallen and there were lights on at most of the houses. Children usually would be playing in the street after dark, but I don’t remember if there were any children in the street…I don’t remember anyone but that officer standing there…I finally heard the words he was repeating..…"a fatality, single car, single occupant”. I gasped for air…my head felt as though it was being squeezed in a vise…”not my Tommy” I said. The Officer stood silent as he nodded “yes” with his head. I tried to tell the officer that perhaps someone had borrowed the car…perhaps it was a car like Tom’s…he said it happened on Old Mill Road in Washington Township New Jersey…My mind was racing…no, I could not bear it….never to hear your voice..never to speak to you again…never to have you walk through the door…never to hug you and give you a kiss…no, no, no. I wanted to call your cell…Stephen came to the door. I must have been loud…Stephen had retreated to his room upstairs with the air conditioner on, at the back of the house after he opened the door when the officer first arrived…I must have been loud for him to hear me. I told Stephen..”this officer is trying to tell me Tommy is dead, that he had an accident”. The officer kept saying that we need to call the Washington Township police.
It was Stephen who called the police…then the coroner…I spoke to the coroner…she said you were driving towards Califon, you lost control of the car..you went sideways into a utility pole…she said you died instantly..there were two witnesses…you did not suffer…you did not suffer, but were you afraid…where are you…I couldn’t remember your cell…I couldn’t think of where I wrote your number…I cried out for you…I cried out and I felt such pain in my heart, in my soul…I was without comfort…I would be alone in this world without you Tommy…I never thought I would lose you…never, never. The accident happened at 5:14pm…you were pronounced dead at 5:40pm…they took you to Morristown Memorial Hospital. I would not be able to see you that night, but tomorrow morning I would need to sign for an autopsy…an autopsy….they will cut you open?…...an autopsy on my son..?
I called Alison. She was at her boyfriend Jared’s apartment. I asked her to come home because we needed to talk to her…..she kept asking why, but I didn’t want to tell her over the phone. Stephen took the phone from me and demanded that she come home right away, but she must have been refusing. I took the phone back and said ”Tommy has been in an accident…we will tell you about it when you get home”. She wanted to know if you were okay…she was becoming increasingly upset wanting to know if you were okay. I tried to get her to agree to come home to discuss it, but she wasn’t listening…so I told her the truth. She screamed and screamed. I told her the doctor said you didn’t suffer…..I told her what the doctor said. She said she would be right home.
I called Aunt Sue Ellen’s number, Al picked up the phone. I don’t remember who I told first…Al or Sue Ellen…I just remember how upset they were. Sue Ellen screamed…she screamed ”No!...No!....No!”. After a while she agreed to call Aunt Alma. They also said they would contact Erin and Eden. I don’t remember anything else..
I e-mailed Kathy and Marie asking for them to pray for you. A short time later Kathy called…she was crying …..she didn’t know what to say…what to do…She asked if I wanted her to call the Rectory and I said I would like her to do that. I told her I would be going to my mother’s house and that I needed to see the crash site.
It must have been after 9:00pm by the time I left the house. Alison went with me, but Stephen did not want to go. As we turned towards route 78 my cell phone rang. Alison answered the phone…..it was Fr Radocha. He wanted to express his sympathies and to let me know that they would be praying for you. He said they would ask for prayers during Mass for you.
It was such a long ride to Califon, so sad, so surreal. How could this have happened, how? I could not believe you were gone. The night was brilliantly clear…the stars just twinkled.
When we arrived in Califon, the Minister from the Califon Methodist Church was with mom; how would she cope without you? You were so close to her, you took care of her and loved her with all you heart.
As I found the spot where you died, Fr Scott called me. After I spoke with him, I walked around. I hugged the pole your car hit as I looked up at the moon; it was a beautiful night.
Last night I came home to Karen's letter and CD. Bob Fera's song, "Mother you can close your eyes and sleep tonight..because your boy is safe and warm...". I knew it was from you; letting me know you are in God's arms, and there are no better arms, "so safe and warm". I closed my eyes last night for the first time in 5 nights, but there was no rest.
We buried you today, exactly six months after you turned 31. We argued about the Ford Escort on your birthday. It had over 270,000 miles on it and I felt it was not safe. You wanted to fix it up;you did not want me to junk it. I gave in, but I told you I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you when you were driving the car. You died in that car Tommy. Would you have lived if I had junked the car? I don't know, but I do know that I will never be the same without you. You are my heart, my first born. I love you forever.
Love,
mommy
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