
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, July 3, 1993                   TAG: 9307070435
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SORROW LASTS LONGER THAN SENTENCES

I RECENTLY had to tell my 9-year-old son that his best friend, Dustin Washburn, had been killed by an irresponsible adult who chose to ignore a court order that restricted his privilege to drive, was drinking although underage, and was allegedly drag racing on a public highway.

Dustin, who had done nothing wrong, was killed while this irresponsible adult walked away. Explaining this to my son was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.

Kids aren't supposed to have to deal with death, grief or sorrow. They are supposed to play, have fun and dream of growing up to be professional athletes. At least that's what Dustin and my son dreamed of.

Now my son won't or can't talk about his friend, and maybe that is his way of handling his grief and coping with his loss. Ignore the pain and hurt, pretend it never happened and maybe Dustin will come back.

I'm scared and mad as hell, because this could have easily been my son who was killed.

Nothing will bring Dustin back, but I want this irresponsible adult to have a lot of time in jail to think about what he did, because he not only killed an innocent child; he stole something from my son and all who knew Dustin and cared about him.

The sorrow and grief we must carry will last a lifetime, but the sentence this irresponsible adult receives will not.

TED ALLEN\ ROANOKE

by CNB