8th grade year rolled around and Taylor was still Taylor! Oct 1st of that year everyone in my 8th grade class had changed (technically it was Oct. 2nd when we found out). We heard rumors that someone had died but no one had known who it was. None of the teachers were in their classroooms and class was about to begin. Then as I saw some of my friends crying and I didn't know why, word had gotten out that Taylor had drowned that Sunday afternoon.
He and about 4 others were paintballing in some random field and it was a hot October day. The guys that were paintballing decided that they would cool off by going through the canal which was still full of water. 4 boys came out and Taylor (being the nice person that he was let everyone go first so he can make sure they made it out). Taylor never came out. Search and Rescue was called in later. 10pm that night there was a blood curdling scream from a women, later found out it was his mom, who found his body coming out of the canal. He was held under water because his shoelaces got stuck on a nail.
The school was in turmoil. Student's crying in random places, counselors from surrounding cities coming to help consol us, and teachers putting their lessons plans off for the week. Those four other boys that were with Taylor when he died were also in my science class 8th grade year. They felt guilty and were gone from school until after the funeral in Billings, Montana. Gabe was Taylor's best friend. They were in a HUGE fight when Tayor died, and never said goodbye to each other. Taylor left this world mad at his best friend and Gabe is still in this world never forgiving his best friend. I once saw Gabe crying before class. He punched a metal locker and it left a huge dent. We all knew why he was so angry though.
That week there was a memorial for Taylor. Because of the memorial the football team (which Taylor was a part of) had to forfit a game. Of any of the team players, Taylor would have been the one to say "Don't forfit it because of me-play instead of coming to my memorial" There were pictures of Taylor playing throughout the memorial, his little sister sobbing in the front and the football team all holding a yellow rose. Mr. Schulteiz, the counselor and the football coach, gave a moving speech that had even the toughest guys in tears. After the service we were invited to walk up to the alter to see some of his personal items. Out on the table were: the shoes that were too big for a 13 year old and the laces that had snagged on a nail in the canal (holding him down), his football jersey, pictures, baseball bat, ball and mit, some of his hats and other things that represented him. So many of us, myself included, broke down when we saw his personal things. Classmates we haven't talked to in awhile were all giving hugs, for once there was no separation between the jocks and nerds, bandgeeks and orca-dorks.
The school decided that his football #26 should be on every jersey. And so they were the next year. He has a page in the yearbook and a special place in out hearts. Getting food in the cafeteria was never the same afterwards since Taylor always served us with a smile :)
The school got together to send messages to Taylor up in Heaven on helium balloons. Everytime it rains I think of him. His mom said at the memorial as if she were speaking to him "Taylor, your aunt and I are sitting here knowing you aren't coming home again. Please, just give us a sign that you are okay up there" and then she said that it started to rain. The rain makes me think of him all the time. I am hoping that it'll rain today, if not here in Utah maybe in Washington. Taylor has a special place in so many of our hearts and will never be forgotten.
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| This is from the yearbook... In memory of Taylor Loch |
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