News That just shouldn't be

Child Freezes To Death on 10 Mile trek.

Okay, So...I know I've made this a Second Life blog...but there are some things in 1st life that I just can't ignore. Like this tragic story.

And I admit...I tried to feel more pity for the Dad who let his kids go off trudging in knee deep snow on a 10 mile trek in weather ranging from 25 to -5 degrees F. I know I should feel more sorry than I do, but I just can't. I'm too angry at the stupidity.

When you live in a cold weather State, ignorance of weather conditions is inexcusable. And how can you be ignorant of conditions you had to get help pushing your truck out of? And you let 2 kids go off walking in that? Without calling ahead? Without driving along the route your kids were taking to pick them up and take them on to their Mom's after getting unstuck? You actually just go on back to your own home?

Hey, I was a kid once. I would have considered such a trek to be high adventure. I'm sure I would have told my Dad over and over that I'd be fine and I could handle it until he gave in and let me go off. And I'm sure being preoccupied with getting the truck unstuck probably contributed to this tragedy. I can understand to an extent how such a thing could have occurred.

But.

It is the duty of a parent to understand their kids. My Dad knew me well enough to know I had a taste for pitting myself against Nature and the Elements. He also knew I did not possess sufficient skills, or adequate equipment to do so, even if I thought I did.

Even if he did figure I'd be okay...he never would have considered letting me go at any distance over 5 miles in those conditions. And if I did not carry a fully charged cell phone, or if there was only 1 phone between us? Psh. Not a chance in hell at any distance. I'd be assigned to sitting in the truck and staying out of the way of the unsticking efforts. And if I insisted on my own ability, I'd be put to work helping to get the truck unstuck.

Sound like I've been there? Of course I have. More than once even. I live in Alaska,and right this minute it is -11 F outside. And Idaho? They have more of a wet cold. Which is actually colder, and more dangerous than the drier cold I'm used to dealing with. And this guy let his kids go off in that without a phone, a call ahead, or driving along their route to check on them?

It's news like this that makes me feel like there's an uncomfortably high number of people in the world that you can't trust to be safely alone with a ball of yarn. And then they have kids.