____________{Chapter 5 - Partial}____________

Ominous Moments

“Adversity introduces a man to himself.”
- H.L. Mencken

June 17, 1974

8:00 a.m.

t was a beautiful spring morning, around eighty-degrees with low humidity, as I entered the charter bus that took us on our high school senior class trip to the Wildwood, NJ beach and boardwalk. A bon voyage trip where we would celebrate our last hoorah as classmates. We were excited as we looked forward to a day of boardwalk games, swimming, and teenage rowdiness.

We were a mix of seventeen to nineteen-year young women and men, who were full of apprehension, wonder, and expectations as we moved on to new adventures and uncharted waters. For some of us, it was college, jobs, marriage, and unforeseen failures. For me, the aftermath of this trip was life-altering, to say the least. For my teachers, classmates, friends, and family, it was an unexpected, heartbreaking event.

As my classmates and I boarded the charter bus that took us to the “Wildwood” seashore, we paired into small groups of girls and guys. My friends and I headed to the back of the bus. Seated at the back row bench seat were Edgar, Randy, Charles and I. Directly in the two front rows were Maggie, Betty, Alice, and Laura. In total, our senior class would be comprised of around one hundred students, and several teachers occupying two charter buses.

Upon arrival, we disembarked our bus and walked several minutes to the seashore. We were ready with cool clothing, swimsuits, hats, and sunglasses. When we reached the shore, our classmates began to disperse, some headed to the beach, and others to the boardwalk.

* * * * *

Near a group of our female classmates, we found a spot where we could lay our towels. We chatted for a while, and as the sun’s rays and the ambient temperature had become quite warm, we decided to go into the surf to cool off. It was around 1:30 p.m.

I dove into a cresting wave and felt the ocean water hit my skin. It felt great! Charles, Edgar, Randy, and I made our way into deeper waters. We joked and made small talk as we bobbed in the waves and took turns standing and diving off each other’s cupped hands.

It was my turn, again. I climbed into my friends’ hands, waited for a big wave, and jumped in. I heard a dull, thump-like sound as my head hit something, most likely bottom. Oddly enough, I felt no pain from the impact. I remained conscious, face-down, aware that I...

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