Thinking of Aleida

On a day of sadness revisited, I came across this note from my sweet friend Aleida. Yes, I save everything and then I eventually purge. This I will keep forever. Today it made me smile... again. I really needed this today:

Today I found out through Aleida's in-laws blog, the verdict of the young woman that took my sweet friends life. This is the actual quote from the blog:

"It was shadowed though, by the news via e-mail from our son, that the Grand Jury had handed down their verdict regarding the punishment for the young lady who's carelessness caused the death of our daughter-in-law. On a Class 4 Felony of Manslaughter she received a "no bill" which means she received no punishment whatsoever. Not even community service. I am not a vindictive person by any means but I felt very disheartened, saddened, and confused about their decision. I realize that she was not speeding, or on any kind of drugs, but she wasn't paying attention. Are their no consequences for someone who is careless and who's inattention to the traffic light that caused the life of a mother, wife and daughter-in-law to be taken at the blink of an eye? And what do you tell the children when they are older and ask the question of "what happened to the girl". Do you tell them that she was not charged with anything and walked away free of punishment? Do you tell them that strangers, who made up the Grand Jury, who didn't even know their mother, made the decision to let her walk away free of any consequences for her actions?Which brings me to the questions of what rights do the victims family have in this situation? We weren't even allowed to be in the courtroom when the evidence was presented and yet it was our daughter-in-law, our grandchildren's mother and our son's wife who will bear the brunt of this decision. We are the ones who will have to move forward, forgiving this young lady for the carelessness that has caused our daughter-in-law's untimely death."

This is truly upsetting and very unfair! No punishment at all! I know that she will have to live with this for the rest of her life, but I feel that is not enough. What would be a fair punishment?? I do not know. But, to walk free? I do not understand. I guess that I never will.

I think about Aleida everyday and I miss her so much. I think of her children Josh & Bella. I think of her husband Brandon and his family. I also think about all the friends she had and how she filled their lives with happiness, as she did for me. This is a tragic loss.