Anthony McColl

Aylmer is a town of about 40,000 people. But really it's a small town, where everyone knows everyone or has a connection to them in one way or another. Most of us work in Ottawa, and many for the Federal government.

My children have all attended D'Arcy McGee high school, as did I and my siblings (Me - for 1 year - My eldest went to Grande Riviere HS). So there is a connection here, albeit sometimes distant. Myself - I was shipped off to St. Pius X in Ottawa as a young man (I think my Dad figured I needed some structure - he was probably right!)

However, most of my friends went to D'Arcy, their kids now go or have graduated from this school, and there is a real community involvement here. Our kids play football, hockey, baseball - just like we did growing up.

All this being said, I have been strangely moved the past few days by my personal reaction to last weekends tragic news about Anthony McColl. While I only met Anthony once or twice, but I do consider myself friends with his Father David. Not close personal friends, more like acquaintances with kids in common.

David has spent many afternoons on the sidelines at D'Arcy football games, taking hundreds of photos of the game and players, loading these photos on his website. This while Anthony wasn't playing on the team...We spoke about kids, photography, jobs, life's woes, moving, home renovations, BBQ's and beer among other things.

This is not much different between my relationship with many other parents, some who used to be school mates, or friends of school mates, to be honest. We grab our coffees, watch and comment on our kids while they are on the ball field, talk about many things, tell the young-uns them to 'move-their-butts' when practice or games are done.

This photo (immediate upper left) shows the school gym today (Monday, April 18, 2011) filled with student wearing white in memory of Anthony McColl... it started a movement the students called "I promise". The basis is for students to remember Anthony by promising never to drink and drive or allow a friend to drink and drive.

So when I heard the news on Saturday morning about Anthony, I could only think of Dave and the personal hell his family must be going through. To be honest these thoughts have been in the foreground of my mind since Saturday morning.

I've shed quite a few tears, hugged my children (repeatedly), and wore white today in Anthony's memory. I'm not special ... I just can't fathom this happening to my family and these sober thoughts haunt me when my own offspring are out at night. The thought that it could just have easily been Alex driving home that night, or Dustin or Seb (Tyler doesn't drive), gnaw at my gut like an ulcer.

While some look for answers, or retribution, there really isn't any. What I've seen come out of this tragedy is a school in mourning, trying to accomplish something good from something so terrible. I applaud this effort, and hope that it starts a movement as large as MADD.

Yet, I can't shelter my children. I won't tell them not to be social - for fear that some day this could happen to one of them. You simply can't live life under a rock, afraid of what might be around the next corner!

I've added some photo's throughout this blog so people can see how Anthony's short life have affected so many people.

As I sign off, I want to offer Dave McColl and his family my condolences and tell them they will be in my prayers for many years to come.

For those of you who want to know more of sign one of the Facebook pages dedicated to Anthony or "Wear White" here are a few links:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=671270315#!/pages/Rest-in-Peace-Anthony-McColl/204713872882539

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=671270315#!/event.php?eid=148347395231692

R.I.P Anthony. You will be missed by many!