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Families face Grief, then help others
A parent losing a child is a tragedy beyond comprehension.
Just ask any parent who has had to bury one of their kids.
For most parents their world is forever shattered. The loss so deep they never recover.
Some parents though, somehow find the strength to swim against the tide of utter grief and turn their tragedy into a positive.
Patti Pena, a young woman who lives in Bucks County, lost her two-year-old daughter in a car accident in 1999.
Her SUV was hit by a guy talking on a cell phone.
Pena put her profound grief aside and became an advocate for state laws barring use of a cell phone while driving.
She formed an advocacy group and, thanks to Pena, New York and Connecticut are on the verge of adopting cell phone laws.
And thanks to Pena, who testified in Harrisburg last year, in Pennsylvania police are now required to note on their reports if a cell phone was in use during an accident. The information will be tabulated later this year and could lead to legislation controlling the use of cell phones in cars.
All this thanks to a grieving mother.
Closer to home, Nelly Grampp of Middle Smithfield lost her son Joey to leukemia several years ago.
Four months after his death, Nellie formed a group, called Joey's Eagles, that offers assistance to parents with children who suffer from cancer.
Whether it's a ride to the hospital for treatment, or a few dollars for food, or money to pay an electric bill, Joey's Eagles has been there for people in this community.
John and Rachel Moyer have also been there for the community.
The Moyers, of East Stroudsburg, have taken up the cause of heart defibrillators following the death of their teen-age son during a high school basketball game last December.
I would bet that most of us had no idea what a defibrillator was before the Moyers educated us.
But thanks to their efforts most of us now know that defibrillators are rather small devices that can make a difference for someone suffering heart failure.
And thanks to the Moyers Gov. Tom Ridge's new education bill includes a provision that offers school districts two defibrillators, free of charge.
The governor even thanked the Moyers for turning their grief into a tangible plus that in the years to come will save lives.
It was a heroic thing the Moyers did. Like Patti Pena and Nelly Grampp, they thought of others at a time when their thoughts could have centered on their loss.
Later today The Fernwood in Bushkill is hosting a sports benefit for the Moyers' fund.
There will be an auction of items like a golf ball signed by Tiger Woods, a football signed by Phil
Simms, and spikes signed by Cal Ripkin Jr.
The proceeds will be used to purchase the devices as well as increase defibrillator awareness.
It's a good cause. Founded by good people.
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