Young Tradegy Affects All

As most of you here in small town USA have heard, there was a tragedy that involved two young men last week that took the lives of Johnathan Bell and Kevin Camp.

These deaths seemed to impact everyone in our little community in some way, whether you knew the boys, their families or had just seen or heard their names printed here in The Monticello News.

I took the news hard Thursday, although I am not sure why. I have experienced death in my life, more than anyone would like and do not usually get overly emotional.

I knew the boys but just through my job, writing and editing high school sports and through my nephew, Clay, who played baseball with them for a few years.

It’s funny, because I have memories of both of them although I can’t say that I honestly “knew” them. In this town, you tend to get to know people through their involvement in high school activities, as most play or are involved in several throughout the years.

Or you simply know them (like I) because they’re your best-friend’s brothers wife’s brother. (See what I mean?)

I can still sit in the stands on a WARM spring day and hear everyone yelling, “Let’s go Ham…” which was Kevin’s nickname…I also remember him being part of the senior prank and I think that all of those involved got in a little trouble, more than I thought that was deserved…and found out later that he may or may not have taken the rap for a friend. That was the kind of guy he was.

I can see Jonathan grinning as he was a bit of a ham in front of the camera. I also remember him signing to play baseball with Brewton Parker and as excited as he was, he shrugged it off like it was no big deal, all the while having a huge grin on his face.

In just a few short years, some ball games and graduation from high school, I felt that I “knew” these boys. I can only imagine what impact these two had on everyone else in the roughly 20 years that they were alive.

As I was saying, I was pretty emotional and overwhelmed by the number of people at both of the young men’s services. I hadn’t seen Monticello Baptist that full since another young man died when I was in high school some 10 years ago.

I wondered Monday after the second service if it was more tragic or it effected people more because of the young ages of the boys.

I wondered if it hurt more because in this tight knit community, if we hurt and healed better because of the close associations that we have to one another.

If you sat in that church for one or both funerals, you know just how many lives these outstanding young men touched. You know how many they touched by simply picking up this newspaper.

I hope that in these times, there in comfort for the families, friends, knowing that I, as well as many others found welcoming, playful, compassionate, hard working young men in both Jonathan and Kevin—some things most people strive to achieve. And they did it in less than 20 years.