It can all change in an instant.

We've been so busy these last few weeks, Saturday was no different. We were up early to workout, then headed to our 10K Holiday Fun Run with friends, then to drop the truck off to have the snow tires put on, then home to clean up and get ready to go to a party, then to come home and host our annual Oregonian holiday party. Early afternoon, Trevor got a text message from our friend Donnie that said, "did you hear about Jake". Jake is someone that Trevor worked with at Snap-on Tools for about 10 years. He and his wife Kay were at our wedding, we've spent many a Snap-on trip with them. They were a daily part of our life for many years.

We haven't seen much of Jake and Kay in the three years since Trevor left Snap-on. There is so much turmoil going on in that company, just like every where else, we never really know who is coming and who is going. Trevor read that text to me and I said, "I hope he means that he was let go, laid off or fired...not that he's dead". A text like that could really only mean one of those two things and we certainly didn't want him to be dead.

Trevor texted back "no" and a minute later the phone rang. It was Donnie and Jake was dead. He died in a car accident earlier that day in Montana. He, his brother in law and nephew were headed to pick up a vintage fire truck. That was their hobby. His brother in law was a firefighter and Jake loved the trucks. Every year they'd drive them in the local parade.

They had the trailer on their truck and when they hit an icy patch on an overpass, the trailer jack-knifed, the truck seperated from the trailer and went over the guardrail, landing on its top. Jake and his brother in law Rick were killed instantly, his nephew is in the hospital.

I cannot wrap my mind around this. I cannot understand how Kay got the phone call. I will never understand how she and the others will go on. I know there is no choice but to go on, I just don't understand it.

My heart aches for Kay. It was always just she and Jake. They had no children, just like Trevor and I. Both had good jobs, both worked hard and dedicated their lives to their respective companies. I think of our life and try to imagine it without one of us and I can't. I know Kay it a tough lady and can do anything, survive anything. I am just so sad about this for her and the rest of her family.

I am always struck by how things like this can change your life in a second. A single moment in time and nothing is every the same again. There will be an outpouring for these families, a circle of love and support. But things will never be the same.

We went on with our day Saturday, every little bit, we'd look at each other and say "I can't believe that Jake is dead". Still hard to believe, such a tragedy. Rest in Peace Jake.