Life is fragile.
This is a story I barely ever talk about and one I would much rather erase from my memory.
In May 2020, I saw the immediate aftermath of what was a homicide.
I had just parked my vehicle in the Menards parking lot in La Crosse.
Since it was May 2020, everywhere was still requiring masks so I shuffled things around inside the car looking for one before going inside.
As soon as I found one I hopped out the car and started walking to the doors. But there was a commotion a row of cars over. I glanced over but I kept walking. There was some muffled yelling, but what stopped me in my tracks was an older lady’s scream.
I looked over and there was an older frail-framed man on the ground, not moving. An older lady screaming and crying. And another large man pacing back and forth.
A Good Samaritan had witnessed what had happened and ran over to separate the large man from the older couple. I swiftly walked over to check on the older gentlemen on the ground along with three other people.
Making it within a few steps, I knew the situation was very serious. The older man had been hit with his own cane and subsequently fell and hit his face/head, furthering the injuries.
I’ve never seen that amount of blood..
The older gentleman began to move. I knew it was best for him to stay lying down, but he insisted on standing up. There really was no stopping him, so we got him to his feet where he could sit/lean against the bumper of his vehicle. By that time another Good Samaritan had grabbed towels off the shelf in the store so we could apply pressure to the wound.
A few moments later paramedics and police arrived.
I went on with my day. Others had to answer questions from police.
Days later, I found out the older gentleman passed away due to the injuries.
I can only hope his last memories or last things he saw were of a few random people helping him, and not of him being attacked.
His last memories and visions should have been with his family.
In the days after, I learned the whole situation happened because one man with anger issues and a history of mental health issues and violence thought the older gentleman parked too close to his van - or that his vehicle was dinged while parking.
A loss of someone’s life because of a parking spot…
To this day I can’t go to that particular Menards without envisioning the older gentleman’s face, the blood dripping, the frantic look in his eyes.
And for a number of months after the incident, their were blood stains on the pavement in the parking lot. A horrendous reminder of what had transpired in that exact spot.
The images in my head must be minimal compared to the horrors his spouse and family have gone through.
I do my best to envision him laughing and hugging his family when those thoughts do creep into my head.
_________
Let’s live our lives knowing how fragile it really is.
Week 16 of 52
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