Life's Short

People say that life is short and not to waste it on the little things of life. I learned that the hard way. Death is something that people go through all the time, but most people when they think of death, think of older people that were sick or old and couldn't go on any longer. Normally, they don't think of a 14 year old girl and her family. In January 2002, Alexandra Wake was a victim of a murder-suicide that involved three generations of a family in Ardmore, Pa where I grew up. Her stepfather Michael Burgess shot his wife, in-laws, stepdaughter Alexandra, and then turned the gun on himself. This event will forever have affect on how I live my life.

I was sitting at home and I was watching the news. A story came on with the headlines, "Whole family in Ardmore killed by angry step-father". I didn't think anything of it because I knew it could not have been anyone I knew. But I stayed and watched. I will never forget the story. The police received a 911 call from Alexandra about 5:50 p.m. She gave the address and said, "Get the police down here!" Then there was a scream. The line went dead. Police arrived at the home, not far from the police station, within minutes. They found Jimmy Watkins, Alex's grandfather, in the backyard, bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. Jeffrey Lewis who was a next-door neighbor heard Jimmy calling for help. He was heard saying, "Jeff, Jeff, I'm back here. Help" Before Lewis could help his friend, police ordered him back inside. From his dining room window, Jeff could see Michael Burgess lying on his side. Mr. Watkins told police, "Mike Burgess shot me." Then when the police officers entered the house, they found the bodies of Juanita and Sandra Watkins in the kitchen, and Alexandra was in her bedroom on the second floor. All were shot at least twice. The police took Jimmy Watkins to the hospital and soon he was pronounced dead.

I was home all by myself, no one was there. I cried and cried for the longest time. In school the next day my friends and I that knew Alex, cried all day. I spent most of the day in my guidance counselors office trying to stop crying. I called my mom to ask her if I could go home because I didn't want to be at school, and she told me that it was better to be at school with other people, then to be sitting at home by myself. So I stayed in school.

For me, the funeral was the hardest thing of all to coapt with. The funeral was held at Ardmore Methodist Church in Ardmore Pa.. When my friends Chenelle, Chris, and I drove up to the church we could not believe our eyes. Four hurst's lined the front of the church, and crowds of people were waiting to get into the church. The funeral was for Alex, Sandra, Jimmy, and Juanita. The picture will haunt my thoughts for the rest of my life.

The funeral was very nice.