I'm Distraught Over a Tragic Event...

This day began full of confusion.  Denial.  Worry.  Misunderstanding and heartache.  I was just pulling up to Lee Elementary at 7:30 where I teach when I saw fire trucks, police cars and a lot of lights flashing.  The parking lots were blocked off with tape and many teachers and staff members were directing traffic into the front lot.  Right when I was really confused, my teammate Katie called me... and told me not to park in our regular lot because it's taped off.  Someone had hung herself on the swing set on our playground.  Katie said the police had put a tarp over the body, but it was still hanging there.  She saved me from seeing such a horrible sight-- thank you, Lord!  Our school is a neighborhood school.  Most kids live so close, they can see the school and walk there everyday.  Many children could see this from their homes... as I walked in the school, early arrivers (teachers) had taped paper on all the doors facing the playground to block any views.  It was creepy feeling... and so sad...

We later found out this 2007 Graduate of the town's high school had been seen by a jogger around 6:50AM, so the police were just arriving as teachers were.  Unfortunately some teachers (at least one) saw her before she was covered.  We were all so disturbed.  It breaks my heart for this girl, but at the same time, makes me mad.  She KNEW children would find her there... I just wonder so many things-- did she go to her former elementary school for a reason?  What was so bad that she would kill herself?  Did her parents know it was this bad?  I don't get it.  I get depression.  I get feeling hopeless.  I don't get parking the car at least 100 yards from a swing set and walking all the way to a swing set where kids would be the following day and following through with hanging myself with a rope.  I don't get that.  It hurts my heart.  

So, a statement was made to the kids (very well handled) that there was an accident on the playground, but they were safe, etc... and our amazing staff and wonderful parent volunteers called every parent and told them the same thing and encouraged them to pick up their children... they were well taken care of and entertained with a movie, P.E., and lunch while they waited.  By 12:30 all 400 were gone and we were able to leave too.  What a draining day.  

Pray for the Coker family as they are dealing with this loss.  Her mom is a teacher in the district and sister is a student at the high school.  Pray for the kids at my school.  Pray for the staff of our school as we try to comfort kids, explain in the right way, and move on.  We're dreading recess next week... BUT, the district did remove the entire swing set including the wood chips it sat on and everything which I'm glad about.  No need to have a reminder.  Thanks for you prayers.

Here's a link to the news story:  http://www.wfaa.com/video/index.html?nvid=239277&shu=1