The Phone...the phone is ringing

The first time I knew the phone could bring bad news was in 1987.

My daughters first Thanksgiving.

My husband was in the Navy and stationed in Florida and so we were celebrating alone, just the three of us.

We could barely afford a turkey and some potatoes but we were excited and thankful for what we had and we were looking forward to a very special dinner.

Before the days of caller id we just answered the phone to see who it was.

"Nan its your dad."

"I already spoke to my Dad, what does he want?"

Seriously thinking they wanted my recipe for the best gravy in America, I hurried to the phone.

"Hey Dad, What's up?"

"Richard was killed by a drunk driver, I am only telling you now because I know you are supposed to see Grandma and Papa tomorrow and they are already on their way to the airport to fly up here."

Richard Kalderon, my only boy cousin, older, wiser, artistically talented, loving, gentle, sweet, funny...

Gone in one blink of an eye.

A drunk and drugged driver right through a traffic light a block away from his house. At one in the afternoon.

Richard had a trunk full of groceries for a family that couldn't afford a Thanksgiving Feast. He was delivering it to them so they could have a happy Thanksgiving.

My aunt was on her way back from the store when she saw the horrible accident.

"Wow, that looks like my car" she thought.

She stopped to question the police officer.

"Is everyone OK here,I think my son may have been driving that car?"

"No ma'am, this car is registered to a woman."

She drives home frantically, believing she will see her car in the driveway and all will be fine.

No such luck.

She drives back to the accident and asks the officers where the injured were taken.

She drives to the hospital, knowing that she is just being overprotective, that he must be OK, that this is all a mistake.

But when she arrives at the hospital her greatest fears have come true. It is her precious son just weeks away from his 24th birthday.

He is gone.

He was a Christmas Baby.

An angel you might say.

Newsday wrote a huge article about him.

He had recently taken over my uncles store Danny's Rideaway in Levittown. He started a club so kids could come ride their bikes safely in his parking lot. He reached out. He touched lives.

For such a short time, but forever in our hearts.

Please visit the above site for MADD. They are a wonderful group who has done so much for drunk driving awareness.