It was 47 years ago that I lost my brother, but it is still fresh in my mind. The newspaper read as follows:

Careening Car Kills 3 Boys; Sergeant Held

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The auto traveled along the side of the pavement on a turn then came back onto the road in a broadside skid just before hitting the youths.
Two of the victims were struck from the back by the center of the hood, and the third by the right front fender. The impact left deep imprints on the auto hood. The force of the impact also left imprints of their clothing in the vehicle’s paint.
Heels were torn from the shoes worn by one of the youths.
The accused driver is a 17 year vet. He served in the European Operations from 1942 to 1956, in Germany from 1951 to 1956. He wears the combat infantry badge, the bronz star with a cluster. He has been charged with manslaughter and drunken driving.

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He was 36 years old and had a wife and two daughters, 11 years old and 7 years old. My brother was 14, his best friend was 14, and the other boy was 16. I was 12 years old, my dad was 30, and my mother was 37. I know now this was the real begining of the end of our family. My dad already drank but became a full blown alcoholic after that. My mom drank and added valium with the drinking. The family that lived on the base fell apart, the father blamed himself as did his wife, for not driving them to their destination. I sat in the trial and all I could think at the time was this man and his wife looked so sad, and he didn’t look like a monster at all. It wasn’t until years later, when I had become an addict, that I started thinking a lot about the driver of the car, and the impact it must have had on his life. My husband and I went to the library and looked everything up. I have tried over the years to locate him to tell him how bad I feel, and have felt for him. The courts could never have given him a sentence that would equal the pain that he
must have felt every waking day of his life. I hope he found peace.