Sunday, July 11, 2010

Message from mourner

This afternoon I received the following message from a person who mourns the death of Trent Steckel, for whom services were held yesterday in Crystal Lake. I am not attaching her name to her message, since it was sent directly to me, rather than via the Comment form under the article. She wrote:

"You know, Trent was a better man than most; he would laugh at your blog but I can't. I am willing to bet you won't publish my comments as you need to hide behind comment approval. You are horrible. That post is awful. Go and read it to Trent's mother, father, siblings, friends and family...tell me that you would be comfortable with it."

This is not the proper time to "argue" my point-of-view or to enter a strong defense. I am willing to do both at another time, lest anyone think I am not.

I didn't get to know Trent. Perhaps I never would have met him. The firefighters in Woodstock, like the Woodstock police, seem to have any attitude about me. It doesn't bother me one wit.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to meet a number of young police officers and firefighters. They enter their chosen field with enthusiasm and dedication. They are eager to do well, to succeed, to excel. They wish to serve others.

Over a period of time, many of them change. They lose their enthusiasm, for a variety of reasons into which I won't go here. You can guess.

Some of them also learn that they no longer need to follow the rules. They can speed, drink and drive, park where they want. They won't get tickets, because of the "code". And no one will rat them out, because of the silence of the brotherhood.

Others don't like what they see, but they are stuck in their jobs with kids in school, car and house payments, health insurance; so they put up with what they see going on around them.

I don't know how Trent would have dealt with the problems yesterday. As a man of ideals, he might have said:

"Don't wait at the light. Move on out. Don't make people wait."
"Don't hold up traffic. Let all those people drive on."
"Don't you know it's illegal to operate the red lights on the fire trucks and ambulances? Turn them off."
"Don't you know it's against the U.S. Flag Code to lower the flag for me? Only the President and the Governor can order lowering of the Flag. Raise it!"

I'm sorry that Trent didn't get to follow his dream longer. I'm sorry for the loss to his family, friends and co-workers.

2 comments:

Carmen Barreto said...

it amazes me that you can miss the point so often. broad side of a barn comes to mind.

trent was the kind of person you wish you could be. we are all full of faults. you, me, trent, everyone. i didn't know trent that long, and i would never guess what he would say or do...especially concerning his own funeral. for you to even put it out there is beyond insulting. what kind of person are you?


my best guess is that he would have said "thank you" and looked past any errors or omissions. he was that kind of man...he was that kind of hero.

firefighters never die, they burn forever in the hearts of the people they have saved. trent saved me at his own funeral. i didn't need a fire or a ladder or laceration or accident. he continues to touch lives, sir.

Unknown said...

"The firefighters in Woodstock, like the Woodstock police, seem to have any attitude about me."

Well why do you think that is????