I do not know what it is about this year. It just seems like it is going to turn out to be a year of mourning and grief for many young souls. First, we had Elijah, the little 3-year old who wandered into the bitter February cold one night in nothing but a shirt, diapers, and boots. Now, there is the 14-year old Ben Stanton, a Grade 9 student who passed away on Tuesday from what his family reported to likely be sudden heart failure.

This past Tuesday, Ben Stanton, a freshman at Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham passed away shortly after a medical emergency. Students witnessed teachers rush over to him as he was suffering, trying to assist him. On Wednesday, grief counsellors were at the school attempting to make, for some, an abnormal experience normal again. The school flag was also lowered to half-mast. Stanton’s parents reveled to the press that he had been a Sick Kids Hospital cardiac patient ever since he was little and he had been monitored regularly.

Even though he had his cardiac problems, he did not let it stop him at all from pursuing his true passion. As a freshman, Stanton was already a renowned volleyball player. Stanton’s volleyball coach, Garth Morris, described him as a “leader” and a “dedicated young man” whose death came as a huge shock to all. “He had great morals and a great work ethic.” A young man like him will be sorely missed. Stanton’s parents knew of Stanton’s love for sports and how he was always appreciative of being in such a loving school community. “He died in the school he loved, surrounded by friends, teammates and faculty that knew him and cared for him,” is what his parents said of him to the media.

Think about this for just a second, really think. You always hear of someone passing away in the news, whether it is in a crime or in a natural disaster. You always see them in the news or read about them in the newspaper, occasionally feeling bad for them or their families. Now what if you were one of those students, watching their teachers struggle to perform CPR on one of your best friends, not knowing the outcome and wishing you could help? What if you were one of the teachers, not knowing what to do as a role model for your students; before your eyes, a student of yours fighting to stay alive? What if you were this boy’s parents, receiving a phone call from the hospital or the school or one of your son’s best friends, baring bad news about your child, the one you just saw that morning, not aware that, that would be the last time you would see his smile? Think about it.

York Region District School Board spokesperson, Erin Bain said classes were running normally Wednesday. “Teachers are aware that students might be struggling and they are making themselves available to the staff to deal with any questions or concerns they might have,” she said. But is life in school really going to run “normally” right away? I mean, even if you did not know the kid, the fact that someone passed away in your community is definitely something I believe would stick in the back of every teens mind for a long time. And what about those who did know Stanton, who were close with him, who chatted and laughed with him every single day? It is unquestionably harder on them than others within the school community, being pointed at in the hallway because people knew how close they were with the dead boy.

To Stanton’s parents, his relatives, his friends, staff and students of at Bill Crothers Secondary School in Markham and all whom it may concern, I give you my sincerest condolences for your loss. I know that I and anyone else reading this now would really feel as miserable as anyone close to Stanton is feeling right now in a similar situation. May your soul rest in peace, Ben Stanton.

Angelous Ginanena.