I remember
Commerce Road, Oldsmar Florida December 30th, 1996.
I remember…
A night out ended in tragedy. A night of teen drinking and pot use ended horrifically. A collision between a tanker trailer and a Geo Storm that was owned by my former supervisor when I worked at Albertsons’ supermarket at Boot Ranch. Five in total involved in the crash, four dead, one survivor…
I remember Jonathan Sklar having a locker next to me (or below me) in a PE class during my junior year at East Lake High. I remember Graham Miller and Brian Bass being in my junior year English class where I was the butt of jokes and my hearing disability led to self stupidity. I knew Tom Norman — who would end up being the scapegoat of everyone’s irresponsibility because he was the lone survivor and also the driver — being in my freshman Earth/Science class. I don’t remember specifics about the guys — they weren’t my good friends, and I was a wallflower no matter what I said or did in High School… But I remember them.
Ten years gone, and I remember hearing about the news. I remember seeing the picture of the smashed Storm on the cover of the St. Petersburg Times.
Ten years gone, and I remember them. This was really the end of childhood for some and knocked others back into reality and sanity.
I don’t know who else recalls, I don’t know who else reflects, but I remember Jon Sklar, Brian Bass and Graham Miller. Rest in peace, fellows.
Dear John’ I remember every day, every hour,every minute. Thank you for remembering my son. Pat Sklar
Pat, You may remember me,you may not.I am good friends with your son. Along time has past or so it seems yet I think about that day everyday. I go to his grave every so often just to say hi.I am a father and a husband now and I think through all the pain and all the questions that I have,the thing that makes me most sad,is that he will not be able to do the same.I know for a fact without questions that John would have been a great father, as I remember him saying of you quit often. I used to drive a green jeep wrangler back in high school and I would pick John up just about every saturday and go to the beach.We kinda grew apart a little in the last couple months because I had already graduated that summer..I’m not very good at getting my point across on this damn computer , all I need to say is I miss John everyday and not a day goes by that I dont put you and your family in my prayers… god bless 945-7436