For Bremerton and Kitsap County, it has been a rough couple of weeks. One worst case scenario coming to pass is bad enough but four in a row is a lot to process and handle for individuals as well as the community as a whole.
In the past two weeks Bremerton has become a school shooting statistic, a police fatality shooting statistic, a drunken driving fatality statistic and a speeding fatality statistic. Each incident has multiple stories, associated family members and individual faces linked to them.
We have lost several valuable community members. In the wake of these losses we have also had citizens and service members who under the worst possible circumstances performed their duties in an exemplary manner that saved a little girl’s life, provided what comfort and assistance they could to the victims that did not survive or helped to capture those involved who would chose to break our laws with such deadly consequences.
Bremerton is so much more than these statistics. We are a community in mourning and reflection. We are engaging in moments of silence. We are a community that cares for its own and we are raising money for and paying our respects to those they left behind.
As a parent, I know that I have had some difficult conversations with my husband, son and fellow community members in the days following each incident. Conversations about classroom shootings, drunk driving, criminal history, murder and poor decisions behind the wheel. (Conversations that also include what we can do as caring community members. How we can donate or make contributions to funds set up for the survivors, how we can pray for the families and how by stopping by the State Patrol Office with flowers we can show our support and respect by shaking the hands of the uniformed personnel standing watch over the memorial and simply say “thank you.”)
Bremerton and Kitsap will heal. We will go on. We will not forget what we have lost. In our community hearts and thoughts, The family of Tony Radulescu, Washington State Patrol Officer, Amina Kocer-Bowman, her family and the students of Armin Jahr Elementary, the family of Roger B. Hartly, USS Ronald Reagan, the family of Ed Johanson, state Park Ranger
