10

A decade.

That's how long it's been.

Well, as of tomorrow.

Tomorrow night around, oddly enough, 10:00 PM.

Of course, we didn't know it then.  Didn't know until several hours later, after numerous phone calls to local police non-emergency numbers.  After I woke Diane at midnight to tell her "Caitlin's not home yet".  After we raced in to Park Ridge to Lutheran General Hospital to be with her.  After we kept a vigil at her bedside, with family and friends, praying for a miracle that didn't come.  And after we said our goodbyes.  And buried her less than three weeks before her 18th birthday.

But a little after 10:00 PM on May 22, 2003 Diane was asleep and I was at the computer playing solitaire, waiting for Caitlin to come home.

Ten years.

So much can happen in ten years.

Of course, it's easy to use losses to mark the passing of time, I certainly have here.  I've written about Diane's passing and Caitlin's passing and recently, Mom's passing.  But so much more has happened in that time.  And I really don't want to bore you with the details of the last ten years of my life.  Instead, I'll ask you...

What's happened to you in the last ten years?

Think about that for a minute or two.  Let it sink in.

Weddings, divorces.  Births, deaths.  New job, lost job.  The list goes on and on.

Now, take someone you love out of the equation.

This year, on June 15th, Caitlin's 28th birthday, 10 years and 24 days after the crash,  10 years and 22 days after the doctors pronounced Caitlin dead, 10 years and 14 days after we buried her, the family of Caitlin Elizabeth Weese is hosting the 10th and final Walk 5k for Caitlin.  We've had a good run.  We've raised a lot of money for the scholarship in her memory and for the victim's assistance fund at the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) and, even though Diane always said "we'll walk until the good Lord won't let us anymore" the time has come to end "The Walk".

This hasn't been an easy decision for anyone.  This event is and always has been, intensely personal for us.  And that, in my opinion, is why events like this tend to have a short shelf life.

Most people don't care about drunk driving causes.  I won't say most, but many people drive when they know they shouldn't.

I know I have.

That is, I used to.

Not often, never since the crash that killed Caitlin.  But yeah.  There were times.  And I'm not proud of that, but it's the truth so...

I think for that reason, drunk driving causes make most people uncomfortable.

That's my two cents.

To the many friends and family members that have supported us in one way or another over the years, from the bottom of my heart.  Thanks.  I hope you can help us celebrate Caitlin, and Diane, one more time.

This is not going to be easy.  As you know, I'm kind of an emotional guy.  I've got tears welling up in my eyes writing this.  I'm pretty sure I'll be shedding a few tears at the walk.

But I'm OK with that.

One more time, Walk 5k for Caitlin.