The Day I Lost My Best Friend

It was a warm spring day back in May of 1972. The sun was shining and not a single cloud in the shy. I was only 12 years old at the time and like any 12 year old boy I had my priorities set to my liking,fishing,baseball and at the bottom of my list school. On this particular day I decided that I was going to work on my priorities so I gathered up my fishing pole and bait and headed for the river that flowed nearby. As I sat along the bank of that river I closed my eyes to listen to the sounds that seem to surround me that I never took notice to before. Off in the distance I could hear the birds, cars and the wind as it blew gently through the trees. All was good with both me and my world, or so I thought.

Off in the distance I suddenly could hear an explosion. Then sounds of sirens and they seemed to be getting closer. I thought little of this because teens in my neighborhood would on occasion set off loud fireworks. Soon I came to realize that the sirens were not because of any fireworks as I could look towards where I live and see black smoke billowing into the skies. Typical to boys of my age I ran to see what was going on and to see the fire trucks. I ran in the direction of the smoke and it was then I came to realize it was coming from my house.

As I arrived to my home I found my house was on fire! I was afraid because I came from a large family of 12 kids and mom and dad made 14.I was not sure if anybody was home when the explosion occurred. The firemen scrambled to connect hoses and police were there to control the onlookers. I then heard one of the firemen yell “there are people inside”. I started to cry because I knew anybody that would have been in there was my family, and I was right.

The firemen grabbed hoses and their axes and ran into the burning building. Following the screams for help the found 3 of my sisters in the basement where my dad had had a second shower installed. The oldest of my sisters had been engulfed in flames the other two only minor burns at that point. As the firemen exited the building carrying the three teen girls the ambulance awaited them to take them to the hospital. Two of the sisters were treated that day for burns and the third was held in the hospital burn unit for 30 day after which I lost my best friend.

The house was a total loss and was ruled accidental due to a faulty gas water heater. I will never forget that day as the memory has been presently burned into my mind. On that day I lost my best friend (my sister), my home and everything I owned in this world at that point.

Not a day goes by that I don`t think of my sister. Wondering what we would talk about today or what we would do or what she would look like now. So I say to everybody reading this, treasure all that you have and those whom love you. Live, love and laugh for both yourself and those you lose because you never know how long you have till it`s all gone.