Remembering an Angel:
Jared High
by Kevin Caruso
From the time Jared High was a toddler, he could climb just about anything in sight. Everyone who saw him was amazed at his tremendous strength, agility, and athletic ability.
Jared would actually climb door frames using just his fingertips and toes. Brenda, Jared's mom, couldn't take her eyes off of little Jared for a minute, or he would be halfway up the side of a building!
Jared was a smart, active, talented, handsome young man. He loved his family. He was active in his church. He was in the boy scouts. And he loved animals, of which he had many, including several cats and a wonderful dog named Bandit.
On May 6, 1998, an incident occurred that would change Jared forever. Jared was brutally assaulted by a bully at school -- a bully that was twice Jared's size. Without any provocation, the bully mercilessly threw Jared up against walls, pushed him to the ground, and kicked, stomped, and punched him relentlessly. The beating lasted almost 10 minutes. The bully told Jared several times that he was going to kill him.
Jared received numerous injuries from the attack. One of his doctors said that the spinal injuries were consistent with someone who had been in a serious automobile accident, and that he was fortunate that his back was not broken.
Jared also sustained serious neck, shoulder, and hip injuries.
And the emotional trauma was worse than the physical trauma. Jared became depressed because of the incident, and on September 29, 1998, Jared died by suicide.
He was 13 years old.
This is a poem Jared wrote. It is a poem about faith, and a poem about believing in yourself.
Covering All the Bases
A little boy was overheard talking to himself
as he walked through the backyard
wearing his baseball cap and holding his ball and bat.
"I'm the greatest baseball player in the world," he said proudly.
Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung and missed.
His faith unshaken,
he picked up the ball and threw it into the air
and said to himself again,
"I'm the greatest player ever!"
He swung at the ball again, and again he missed.
He paused for a moment,
and examined the ball and bat carefully...
Then once again he threw the ball into the air and said,
"I'm the greatest baseball player who ever lived!"
Then he swung the bat hard and again missed the ball.
"Wow!" he said. "What a pitcher!"
We are all children of our heavenly father,
and if we think and believe that we are the greatest in the world,
and have the faith,
then we are.
I say this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
You are the greatest, Jared.
And we miss you.
You are an angel now.
------------------------
Brenda High, Jared's mom, has two excellent websites
that you should visit:
BullyPolice.org
An excellent resource which offers
help for parents and kids who are having
problems with bullying.
Jaredstory.com
A wonderful website that is both a tribute to Jared
and a resource center on suicide.
Thank you for your wonderful sites Brenda. And
thank you for your tireless work in preventing suicide,
helping suicide survivors, and fighting the bullies of
the world. You are the best, and I know that Jared
is very proud of you.
