Letters to the Editor 07-29-1998
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Two Messages From Fatal Accident - A Grieving Mother - Thanks From Winona Lake
Two Messages From Fatal Accident
Editor, Times-Union:My name is Yolanda Kuta. I am a wife and mother. My husband and I had seven children, ranging from the ages of 15 to 29. On June 12, we lost our 17-year-old and future daughter-in-law along with a neighbor child to a drunk driver. Our granddaughter along with another young lady were seriously injured in this senseless accident.
There are two messages that need to be addressed from this tragedy, and if I can just get one across, I feel that Aaron's death was not just a statistic.
The first, of course, is the drunk driving issue. Did the drinking influence the high rate of speed and disregarding the stop sign or would the driver have done the same without the alcohol?
The second issue is the one that I wish to address. That is, do not take your children for granted. Love them, but let them know how you feel towards them. Tomorrow may be too late! Aaron and I had a very good relationship, we talked, we cried, we laughed and we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt how we felt towards one another. Aaron cared about my feelings like I cared about his.
If I had not known, his death would mean guilt as well as grief. So tonight let your children know how you feel. Love them for who they are. Don't let a tragedy be a loss of your child as well as yourself.
God is my strength. He has something special for Monica and Tiffany for he spared them. I will not lose sight of that fact. If that also means that I need to speak of this often, and get this message out before it is too late, then so be it.
Aaron was my son. He was a wonderful son and father. He would have been a great provider for his family for he took his responsibilities seriously. His whole life was to get his education, work to support his family and be home to enjoy his girls and fiancee.
Aaron will be missed by his two daughters, two sisters, four brothers, my husband and myself. His death means that we have given back to God what God gave to me not quite 18 years ago. But in those few short years Aaron touched so many lives. Not just with this family but his extended family and friends.
Yolanda Kuta
A Grieving Mother
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is written by a grieving mother. A mother that lost her beautiful, loving, teenage daughter because another teenager just wanted to have fun. Now his fun has turned into my sorrow.
People ask me, "How are you doing?" Oh, I'm doing fine as long as I talk about the past, the good days we had together, the fun trips, the laughter, the time Heather got stuck in mud almost to her waist. Several times we had to stop digging her out because we were all laughing so hard, until she would say, "OK, quit laughing and start digging." I remember all the slumber and birthday parties. She loved to help me when I ran a day care. She organized games and helped put together plays for the children. Yes, I'm fine when I talk about all the good times, but when I think about what all we were planning to do, like camping on the Fourth of July or taking a boat ride down the river, her working so hard to graduate, her 17th birthday August 27, then I hurt so bad. This will never happen. I will never get to see her graduate, or see her beautiful wedding she planned to the young man she loved so much. Oh, God, I just want to hold her one more time and tell her I love her.
She and Aaron were so much in love it scared me. I told her she was growing up too fast, slow down and enjoy your teenage years. But at almost 17 she had her life all planned out and she loved it. She did not drink or use drugs or have wild parties. She worked hard in school then came home to her baby. She took Monica everywhere. She wanted her baby to know love and be happy. Many times I would hear her say, "Monica, mommy loves you so much!" Now Monica will never remember her mommy's sweet voice say these beautiful words. She will never have her daddy to hug her or make her giggle anymore. She will only know of her parents' sweet love for her by what we tell her. Her mommy and daddy could not wait until they could play in the yard with their baby running back and forth to them. Monica will never have any more brothers or sisters to join in with their fun. Oh, yes, she has lots of grandparents and aunts and uncles to love her, but the life her loving parents planned to have with her will never happen.
Monica is a sweet and happy baby just like her two parents and with God's help, we all plan to keep her that way. We want to make her mommy and daddy proud.
Please, teenagers, or anyone else, remember, don't drink and drive. You may think it's fun, but look what it can do.
And please, parents, remember to tell your children you love them every day because you never know if you will see them again tomorrow morning.
Pam Hiers,
Mentone
Thanks From Winona Lake
Editor, Times-Union:Winona Lake Park would like to thank all of the businesses who donated prizes for the drawing after the 5K run/walk. We would also like to thank the many people who helped with the race and with the activities during the day. We hope everyone had a good time, and we will see you at the Fourth of July festivities again next year.
Winona Lake Park
Jim LeMasters, supervisor
Peggy Lesley, activity director
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- Two Messages From Fatal Accident - A Grieving Mother - Thanks From Winona Lake
Two Messages From Fatal Accident
Editor, Times-Union:My name is Yolanda Kuta. I am a wife and mother. My husband and I had seven children, ranging from the ages of 15 to 29. On June 12, we lost our 17-year-old and future daughter-in-law along with a neighbor child to a drunk driver. Our granddaughter along with another young lady were seriously injured in this senseless accident.
There are two messages that need to be addressed from this tragedy, and if I can just get one across, I feel that Aaron's death was not just a statistic.
The first, of course, is the drunk driving issue. Did the drinking influence the high rate of speed and disregarding the stop sign or would the driver have done the same without the alcohol?
The second issue is the one that I wish to address. That is, do not take your children for granted. Love them, but let them know how you feel towards them. Tomorrow may be too late! Aaron and I had a very good relationship, we talked, we cried, we laughed and we knew beyond a shadow of a doubt how we felt towards one another. Aaron cared about my feelings like I cared about his.
If I had not known, his death would mean guilt as well as grief. So tonight let your children know how you feel. Love them for who they are. Don't let a tragedy be a loss of your child as well as yourself.
God is my strength. He has something special for Monica and Tiffany for he spared them. I will not lose sight of that fact. If that also means that I need to speak of this often, and get this message out before it is too late, then so be it.
Aaron was my son. He was a wonderful son and father. He would have been a great provider for his family for he took his responsibilities seriously. His whole life was to get his education, work to support his family and be home to enjoy his girls and fiancee.
Aaron will be missed by his two daughters, two sisters, four brothers, my husband and myself. His death means that we have given back to God what God gave to me not quite 18 years ago. But in those few short years Aaron touched so many lives. Not just with this family but his extended family and friends.
Yolanda Kuta
A Grieving Mother
Editor, Times-Union:This letter is written by a grieving mother. A mother that lost her beautiful, loving, teenage daughter because another teenager just wanted to have fun. Now his fun has turned into my sorrow.
People ask me, "How are you doing?" Oh, I'm doing fine as long as I talk about the past, the good days we had together, the fun trips, the laughter, the time Heather got stuck in mud almost to her waist. Several times we had to stop digging her out because we were all laughing so hard, until she would say, "OK, quit laughing and start digging." I remember all the slumber and birthday parties. She loved to help me when I ran a day care. She organized games and helped put together plays for the children. Yes, I'm fine when I talk about all the good times, but when I think about what all we were planning to do, like camping on the Fourth of July or taking a boat ride down the river, her working so hard to graduate, her 17th birthday August 27, then I hurt so bad. This will never happen. I will never get to see her graduate, or see her beautiful wedding she planned to the young man she loved so much. Oh, God, I just want to hold her one more time and tell her I love her.
She and Aaron were so much in love it scared me. I told her she was growing up too fast, slow down and enjoy your teenage years. But at almost 17 she had her life all planned out and she loved it. She did not drink or use drugs or have wild parties. She worked hard in school then came home to her baby. She took Monica everywhere. She wanted her baby to know love and be happy. Many times I would hear her say, "Monica, mommy loves you so much!" Now Monica will never remember her mommy's sweet voice say these beautiful words. She will never have her daddy to hug her or make her giggle anymore. She will only know of her parents' sweet love for her by what we tell her. Her mommy and daddy could not wait until they could play in the yard with their baby running back and forth to them. Monica will never have any more brothers or sisters to join in with their fun. Oh, yes, she has lots of grandparents and aunts and uncles to love her, but the life her loving parents planned to have with her will never happen.
Monica is a sweet and happy baby just like her two parents and with God's help, we all plan to keep her that way. We want to make her mommy and daddy proud.
Please, teenagers, or anyone else, remember, don't drink and drive. You may think it's fun, but look what it can do.
And please, parents, remember to tell your children you love them every day because you never know if you will see them again tomorrow morning.
Pam Hiers,
Mentone
Thanks From Winona Lake
Editor, Times-Union:Winona Lake Park would like to thank all of the businesses who donated prizes for the drawing after the 5K run/walk. We would also like to thank the many people who helped with the race and with the activities during the day. We hope everyone had a good time, and we will see you at the Fourth of July festivities again next year.
Winona Lake Park
Jim LeMasters, supervisor
Peggy Lesley, activity director
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