Katelyn's Art Work

Harlem Center for Education Summer 2011

http://depts.washington.edu/trio/trioquest/awards/2011/dt_gold.php

DigiText Gold

– Middle School–

Coping with the Inevitable
Harlem Center for Education, NY Talent Search https://sites.google.com/site/unclesdeath/home Coping with the Inevitable by Katelin Death is complicated. It makes people feel depressed, and can also make them wonder about life. Death can come at any moment. You can die by getting hit by a car, getting bitten by a bug, or you can die due to a heart attack in the middle of the night. Every day you live is a day you could've possibly died. Life is a scary journey that has no plan. In a way, it’s really scary. When you lose a person you love, like a family member or a very close friend, you realize so many things that you should be grateful for. There are those people who die but then get revived, those people can tell you they saw a very bright light or God or some other thing. Have you ever wondered what would happen to you after you die? What if that white light you saw was just you being re-born by a different person? Death keeps us wondering what if, how, why, when and not everyone knows the answers. On July 13, my uncle had surgery done on his stomach. Two hours after the surgery, he went into cardiac arrest. The blood flow in his stomach was abnormal. One day, he got hit by cops very badly. They hit his spine which was near his stomach organ, and they ended up cracking it. From then on, blood started flowing in other places in the body where they weren’t meant to go. Around July 10, my uncle started feeling sick in his stomach and it was starting to hurt him pretty badly. He went to the hospital and he ended up having to go through surgery. My grandmother’s wish is to have those cops that hit my uncle be liable for his death, since they never really had the right to mistreat my uncle. My grandmother’s wish should be fulfilled since she had to go through her own son’s death. I believe that parents shouldn’t have to go through seeing one of their children die. Black’s funeral was on Friday, July 15, at the Ortiz Funeral Home in the Bronx. That place was packed with a whole bunch of my family members. I met so many family members I never seen before. It was nice to see all my family members together. It’s just sad that all of us only get together when a death happens. The burial was on Saturday, 16, at St.Raymonds Cemetery. We all met at the Funeral Home to say our goodbyes to my uncle. Then we went to church. After church, my family went in a lot of cars to the cemetery. We saw my uncle get buried. My grandmother didn’t want to see my uncle get buried. So when everyone left, the people buried him. I wanted to see him get buried, but by that time, I had to leave. During that time I was wondering what if it wasn’t my uncle who died, what if it was my dad or mom? From that point, I changed my perspective on my parents and starting listening and caring. https://sites.google.com/site/unclesdeath/page-2 more for them. My aspect on life changed entirely because I realized that life was too short. I had to make the most out of all the time I have. After the burial, we went to my grandmother’s house and we just hung out there, ate, and spent time with the family. At my grandmother’s house, there was a sense of peace since we knew that my uncle was in a better place. Being Catholic, our tradition is to pray for the dead for nine days after their burial. On July 25, family members got together at my grandmother’s house to pray for my uncle for the last time so his soul could be at peace with God. Without my uncle, many things will be different. When I visit my grandmother’s house, I won’t be able to say “Hi Uncle Black” and give him a hug. I won’t be able to ask him to get me something to eat or drink, and I won’t be able to watch movies with him. I had four uncles, but now I have three. When my dad went to play handball,it use to be all my uncles against each other. It was two vs. two. Now, without my uncle, we would have to find someone to take his place. Which I think is very depressing because that game used to be a family game with just my dad and uncles , but now it has to be with one less of a family member. My uncle would always be remembered as a funny, outgoing, family person, and we would never forget him. Although my uncle is dead, he will never be forgotten. He will always stay in our hearts and minds. We will always remember him as a good uncle, brother, son, and family member. Yes, I would miss him, but at least he is not in pain anymore and is in a better place. As a remembrance of him every year, we will visit his grave and pray for him on the anniversary of his passing . I love you, Uncle Black, and I will always cherish the moments we had forever. https://sites.google.com/site/unclesdeath/page-3