too young, so tragic

My sister just emailed me with such devastating news. My youngest brother's best friend (just 17 years old) was tragically killed in a car accident while my brother was out of town with my parents. Cash fell asleep at the wheel while in the neighborhood, and his car plowed through a fence hitting a Hummer. Even more upsetting is to hear how he died, from decapitation. It just breaks my heart even to write this.

Cash was such a good friend to Richard. In fact, they'd just been on a cruise to Mexico together a few weeks ago with Cash's family. I'm so glad Richard had that time with him. They've been friends ever since my parents moved to Houston in 2002.

I'm very worried about how Richard is going to deal with his grief. No one in our family has really had to face the death of someone close. Our grandparents, for the most part, passed away when I was very young, and even when my grandmother died in 2001, she wasn't someone we knew well.

My brother-in-law lost his best friend when he was 12 years old, and says that it still impacts him today. I so wish that Richard didn't have to face this life lesson at such a young age, and I pray that he is able to process his loss without reverting to the things that can numb his pain.

I am certainly grateful that Richard was out of town and not in that car with him. And at the same time I hurt for Cash's family who have only memories of a son and brother who had a lot of life yet to live.