It's not often I go public with deep personal stuff...

But this one hit me a little different and a lot harder.
I am a leader in a boys group thru the Assembly of God Church. We are called Royal Rangers. We reach, teach and keep keep boys for Christ and help grow them into Godly men while also teaching camping and survival skills. I have taught 3rd-5th graders in the program since 2001 when my son Jacob started in the kindergarten age class.

14 years ago, when Jake started my class, a family outside of our local church knew about the Ranger program and started bringing there son Valik. His mom and dad had 2 teenage girls of their own and adopted Valik and his sister out of an orphanage in Russia at ages 4 and 6. Now that Valik was entering 3rd grade, they wanted him in Rangers. He was having some behavior issues in school and his mom and dad wanted a better/deeper influence in his life. There church did not offer such a program for his age at the time. That's when I 1st met a pleasant speaking 9 year old kid who was still amazed at what America had to offer in his few years that he had lived here already, who had a lot of energy to burn off and liked to push the limits of those in athourity. As we got to learn him, and he learned us , he was just a fun kid to teach. He ended up fitting in really well with the 12 other kids in my group. At the end of his 3 years in my class, he was entering the 6th grade and started attending the youth group at his parents church. His dad loved the turn around/growth he saw in Valik in those 3 years, as well as the taming of all that little boy energy. His school work was all A's and B's heading into middle school, he didn't push the limits any longer and just got along with everybody and was playing youth league sports. His dad gave me a lot of that credit, even tho I only had him for 2 hours 1 night a week and 2 weekends a year. His dad kept in touch with me until Valik entered high school around 2009/10. I recently learned that Valik was now a senior in college and doing very well.

I just learned last night that Valik died in a single car wreck on Sept 22 when he veered off the road at 50-60 mph and rolled his Mitsubishi Eclipse. He was 22 years old. 11-14 years prior, that kid left an impression on me and will always have a place in my heart. Valik was the same age as my son, Jake. I cannot imagine what his mom and dad are going thru right now. I will be at the memorial service later this month.

Pray for the Ronk family as they process and heal from this loss of life.

Sorry, not sorry for the long read. My eyes are wet for this one.