R.I.P. Tyler

by A Friend
(Michigan, USA)

This happened nine years ago, but it still haunts me sometimes. My best friend, Denise, had a little six-year old boy named Tyler. Tyler went out to the farm with his older brother and his grandfather one Saturday afternoon.

His brother, Josh, who was thirteen, was driving a tractor and pulling a bush hog behind it (a huge mowing deck). His Grandpa let Tyler up on the tractor with Josh, but there was not enough room for him to sit, so he stood up on the tractor frame while Josh was mowing.

Well, you can guess, the unthinkable happened. Tyler lost his hold and fell off the tractor, right under the bush hog, and was killed instantly. What a nightmare for everyone, especially Denise, her husband and Josh. And Grandpa, everyone was devastated.

Denise will never really be the same, even after all these years, she is a changed person. Part of her just died with him, you know. She used to be such a fun wild-woman, just a blast to do things with. It's just not the same anymore.

And I will never forget what she said the day of the funeral, someone told her that Tyler had died because God needed him in heaven. She said "No he didn't... Tyler died because of the stupidity of adults".

What a tragedy, I don't have any answers at all as to why this horrible thing happened. Tyler was a beautiful, innocent boy. It still hurts, and it wasn't even my child. I can't imagine Denise dealing with this the rest of her life.