Chapter 1- The Remi Ryan Story- Remi's Story

Remi's Story

*TRIGGER WARNING- Background Story:*

Part 1- The beginning to an End

Born and Raised: August 11, 1995 San Diego, CA

Family: The Ryans

My last memory of even a remotely happy home, my dad had just came home after a long shift; one of many being a Chief Fire fighter he had a lot of 12 hour days, though I never really knew the meaning of time only being 3 or 4 but he had just got home and I remember my mom was cooking in the kitchen. It was like one of those old time movie flicks where the husband comes home the wife was wearing a kitchen apron covered in flour or something she had been concocting up and she had a spoon in her hand, my dad swooped her up as he kissed her neck. I scrunched up my nose as it was kissy kissy time and he smiled. He looked so in love and happy; the happiest it had ever been.

Then he took his jacket off before going to the back to clean up and he came into the living room swooping me up, I giggled and hugged my dad, the biggest smile I had ever had. I was in heaven; it was the best time.

My brother was just getting home and of course, being much older, his teenage mouth got him in a heap of trouble; dad put me down already getting on my brother jessies case but that was the last memory of a happy family even with the fighting going on with my brother. My brother came in and knelt down where dad had put me, my dad was going off about him going out with some kids he didn’t agree with; and my brother rolled his brown eyes ruffled my hair and whispered, “I love ya kid.”

That would be the last I love you I got from anyone. Things changed after that night. And that would be The last forever memory of my brother.  My brother stormed out after my dad was yelling on and on, I don’t exactly remember about what but I remember plugging my ears trying hard not to listen, my eyes closed so hard it made my eyes water.

\That was the last memory to this day of anything remotely happy.

That night, September 6^th, 1999 my brother was in a car with a group of boys, joy ridding and unfortunately not paying attention to anything around them. The music was apparently loud, neighbors could hear it down 3 blocks. 

They couldn’t hear the train signal, and wasn’t paying attention to a faulty road blocker that didn’t go down signaling to all traffic to stop a train was coming, The boy driving barely had enough reaction, and unfortunately as they pulled across the tracks, he was too late as the train hit the corner of the car as it was almost off the tracks; which made the car spin and hit the guard rail then falling down the embankment into the running river that was in town.

The police report showed, some of the boys broke free had some minor and major injuries; but it was my brothers corner that got hit and he was knocked unconscious. No one, not one of those so called friends even bothered to unbuckle him. Some bystanders were on the side of the road as the boys crawled out helping them as they screamed my brother was still inside. A few men, who I humbly admire for their help and bravery in that rippling cold waters jumped in, unfortunately not making it in time. The few men, before the ambulances and fire crews including my fathers, came tried to apply breathing measures; but He suffered major injury and ultimately succumbed dying September 6^th, 1999.

That date to this day has been edged into my thoughts and maybe that’s why we all ended up the way we did, and nothing would ever be the same.