After celebrating 144 years of our Country's History and the fun and frolic that is a Happy Pride, a much more sombre tone has been set on Tuesday after the passing of Officer Garrett Styles last week.He was just an officer on duty who was helping others.
Then, in an instant he found his life slipping away from him.
You see, Garrett had stopped a van of four young joyriders. As he reached for the key in the ignition to end the ride, the underage driver sped away only to lose control of the van and have it turn on top of him. His last few words were only of the care and concern he felt towards those who placed him in such a difficult and ultimately tragic position.
At times like this we all send out heart out to all members of his family but especially to his wife, his young daughter and ten week old son. Their life starts anew with Garrett's passing.
Isn't it too bad we have to have such an entity as a police force? As Premier McGuinty said- the police are there for the good guys as well as the bad guys.
The “bad guys” is the unfortunate part.
That 14 year old who was driving the van is now one of the “bad guys” and will always be
If only one of the 3 others in the van had of just said- Look this is stupid. Let's do something else. This could end badly.
If only...
As I watched the funeral for PC Styles, I wondered what all the bad guys were doing.Were they watching?
Were they poking fun?
Were they planning their next “outing”.
Would some of those watching be just regular Canadians who in a moment of bad judgement- perhaps later today, tomorrow or next week, would be “in trouble” with the authorities. Would they too become the “bad guys”?
I don't know if we all have the capacity- inside, to be bad.
Perhaps we do.
The heat of the moment can make us do some strange things. When we don't have time to walk away or breathe or cool down sometimes anger can make us do stupid things.
Sometimes we just do stupid things and are enticed by the “thrill” of it all.
Fundamentally, we all know right from wrong. It's born in us.
However, sometimes wires get crossed and it all goes wrong.
So very wrong.
This is one of the times it just went all wrong.
There will be other times such as this. Garrett Styles' passing will not put an end to tragedies but wouldn't it be nice if it did?
Rest in Peace for all eternity, Garrett...
and Thank You.
