Yesterday morning at work, I found out that a coworker at NASA and fellow mom was killed in a car accident on Sunday. My heart dropped into my stomach as I read the news, and the day passed in a fog.
I first met Amelia more than a decade ago when she joined my old branch as a secretary. She was one of the best secretaries I’ve seen at NASA, overqualified really, and in short order she moved on to bigger and better things as part of the space station program’s science communication team.
I lost touch with her after she left my old branch, but reconnected 3 years ago when her daughter Maya joined Emma’s class at the NASA daycare. Their birthdays are only a few weeks apart. They were in the same class for two years, and in the same “grade” last year. Maya is at a different school this year, and I hadn’t seen their family in the last few months.
Maya was in the car but survived and will be ok. Amelia’s husband Dave wasn’t with them.
I came home last night and hugged Jose and the girls tighter than ever. I can’t stop thinking about what Maya and Dave must be going through. I am absolutely heartbroken for their family.
Life is crazy, and so unpredictable. And sometimes it’s so utterly and completely unfair.
Remember the good times and help them remember them too.
I’m so sorry. 🙁 One of my son’s ‘teachers’ at daycare was killed in a car accident a few months ago. Her daughter and boyfriend were in the car as well and managed to survive. It was definitely one of those moments you realize just how perilous it all is. *hugs*
Life is very unpredictable. I’m sorry to hear this news. Were you at daycare yet when one of the young teachers died very suddenly? It just shakes you at your very core. (It was Kai’s teacher but the kids were young enough yet…).
No, we weren’t there yet. Wow. Yes, it’s terrible.