It
’s a slow week at Live Oak High School – but only because we are
on spring break. When we return to school Monday, ASB elections
will begin, Live Oak students will visit the middle schools to give
them a taste of what being an Acorn is all about at the feeder
rally and the senior class will begin
counting down until graduation. Besides that, Live Oak students
are enjoying their break from the books.
It’s a slow week at Live Oak High School – but only because we are on spring break. When we return to school Monday, ASB elections will begin, Live Oak students will visit the middle schools to give them a taste of what being an Acorn is all about at the feeder rally and the senior class will begin counting down until graduation. Besides that, Live Oak students are enjoying their break from the books.
On a more serious note, many students from Live Oak and all other local school are dealing with the death of a beloved friend. Myself being one of them.
If you are a reader of the Morgan Hill Times you are familiar with the story of what happened to a former Morgan Hill resident and student, J.R. Adams. He was killed March 18 by a hit-and-run driver while on a family vacation in Cancun, Mexico.
I will not be writing about details of the tragedy and do not have any new information to share about this bizarre incident. I will not be writing my opinion on the Mexican government (or lack of) or about how the situation was handled. But I do want to share what he has taught me during his short but well-lived life and lessons that will stay with me always.
I am one of J.R. Adam’s many friends, and one of the many lives he has touched. I met J.R. at Britton Middle School in my seventh grade P.E. class. Before even knowing his name, he made me laugh as he continued to do throughout the years. His title of “class clown” in the eighth grade was very well deserved.
Over the years I knew him, he grew into such an amazing young man. I admired him in so many ways. He was a dedicated athlete and a great teammate. He had so many goals and was determined to do whatever it took to reach those goals. He had a confidence that just shined through his beautiful smile. He could make anybody laugh with his great sense of humor.
He was a loving friend, and more than anything, J.R. loved his family. He talked to me about his siblings with such pride. To him, his baby sisters were the most beautiful girls on this planet. One of the very important lessons he taught me, was to never leave without saying “I love you” to the ones you care about, and especially family. A few years ago I noticed something J.R did that wasn’t so consistently common in teenage boys. While hanging out one day, every conversation he had with his mother on his cell phone, he always said, “I love you.” I continued to pay attention to it.
After telling him that I thought that was a wonderful thing, he replied by explaining to me that you should always say, “I love you” even after the shortest conversation because you never knew if it were your last. Since that day I have made it a point to do so. His death proves that statement he made to me years ago to be true. After more than a week, I am still in shock while seeing the name of a close friend in the newspapers having to do with his death. But during his time here he loved to laugh and make others laugh.
He would have me laughing until tears rolled down my face. For those (like myself until now) who have never experienced a death of a loved one, let J.R.’s lesson be a lesson to you. Nobody would ever think something like this would happen to such a wonderful person. But it does, and it did to J.R. It can happen to anybody. Our time here is so precious.
Live it carefully. I know if J.R. looked back on his life, he would have no regrets. Please live your life the same. Always show the ones you care about how much they do mean to you, and if anything were to ever happen, never have a regret.
A memorial fund has been established at Community Bank of Central California, 761 St., Gilroy. The account number is 110005402.
Please, everyone, have an enjoyable but safe spring break.
Jessica Towner is a Live Oak senio, ASB rally commissioner and varsity cheerleading captain. She can be reached at ed******@*************es.com
