Teen Death

It feel like teen death is not on the rise. It might not seem that way everywhere but in Carthage, Missouri it feel like it. I graduated from Carthage and while in high school three girls just in my graduating class died, all with in about a year. That was just in my graduating class, I can think of at least five other that have died with in the past three years, right off the top of my head. Everyone of those deaths had a huge impact family, friends, and the community. I personally was not that close to any of them but I did have friends that were. During those times of sadness and loss I watched our community come together and support each other like I have never seen. 

Hannah Smallwood was a great girl that always had a smile on here face. Hannah’s mom was a physical education at the high school. According to the Joplin Globe, “the one-vehicle accident happened at 7:35 p.m. Friday (December 8th 2006) on County Road 120, four miles east of Carthage. Authorities said the vehicle hit a utility pole and overturned several times. Smallwood was thrown from the vehicle.” Hannah’s death effected the whole school, and something no one would ever forget. 

The sad thing is Hannah was not the only one lost to soon. The following are just a few teens from Carthage, and there story. 

“McKenzie R. Kisling, 14, and Kayla D. Story, 16, of Carthage, died in a one-vehicle accident at 7:21 p.m. Friday (June 2007) when the vehicle they were in ran off the west side of the road, struck a utility pole, and overturned, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.”

“Johnson said Jeff Coggin told him his daughter saved him before she was crushed by one of the trees. "He'd been sleeping and his daughter was the one who saved him," Johnson said. "His daughter hollered at him and said we have storm warnings and he got up, went toward the living room -- that's what he recalled -- and then all he remembers her saying was 'tree!'”Johnson said he found Casey Coggin crushed beneath the tree that fell on the north side of the trailer.”

My fiance told me story of a girl he went to high school with. One day he had gotten to school and was walking into the building. As he was walking up the side walk into school, the girl jumped from the top of the building and land right in front of him. He shared with me that it was one of the most horrible sounds he has ever heard. He also went on to tell me that he had been so close that her blood had gotten all over him. At this point I thought the girl had die but he went on to tell me that she had survived. 

It is sad to think this girl thought things were so bad that the only way to get out was by jumping off a building. And the sad thing she is not the only one.