Deaths of 2003.

2003 was the year that marked my whole life. It was the year I lost an aunt, an uncle, and their son in a car accident. Then followed another three of my closest uncles. I was just seven years old. My life was never the same after losing such close family members.

My parents had separated 2 years prior so I had a lot going on in my life. Trying to tell them how to be better parents. Then the individuals that kept me going were taken from us, from me.

How did all these deaths come about? Well the truck one of my uncles was driving had a popped tire causing it to flip multiple times. The only survivor was my 14 year old cousin. My other uncle was shot and killed by the cartel trying to protect his younger brother on Christmas Eve. They had gone to the center to pick up things for Christmas in Sinaloa, Mexico.

UAnother uncle fell asleep while driving which then he caused the truck to flip and died after flying out of the truck. Thankfully, the rest of the family survived which included my four cousins and my aunt. And lastly, my uncle, who is my godfather’s father, died of a heart attack.

So when so many of my friends growing up never had experienced the pain of losing loved ones, I would become jealous and angry at them for treating their family like shit. The way they would talk to their parents - that were together and were always there for them. It was aggravating. They had a family to come home to, all the while I had my depressed mother. She did her best under the circumstances but she was no longer the mother I knew. I can only wonder what life would be like if they were all still alive today.