John was an only son and an only brother. He was just finishing his junior year in high school and was about ten days past his 17th birthday when he died. To his Mom, he was everything she dreamed about for the future. To his younger sisters he was invincible. But he was only a kid. He was an All Star in both hockey and baseball and excelled at track. He was a kind young man. Very caring and protective of not only his family but his friends as well.
In June of 1978 he attended a graduation party for one of those friends. In fact, he drove there with his Mother as he was practicing for his license road test. After a senseless melee was started by uninvited guests, at least one of whom was carrying a weapon, John was stabbed and died. His murderer was apprehended at the scene and eventually convicted. However, the conviction was overturned ten years later on a technicality and the case was retried. Much to our dismay, he was able to convince a jury of a story that he never mentioned the first time around and was released.
Thankfully, we have never much dwelled on the person who took John away from us. We focus on John’s memory and the impact his short life had upon us. All these years later, his friends and acquaintances still talk about how positively he affected their lives. The nieces and nephews born well after his death know who he was and how much he meant to his family. His kindness, sense of caring and love of friends and family remains in our hearts and minds to this day, some 30+ years later.