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Josh's death started the night before he was killed. Josh was at his girlfriends ballgame. Josh made some kind of remark to a boy in the stands. The boy did not like the remark and he and his friends jumped on Josh and beat him up. Josh was bruised, had a black eye, and a lump on his head. When Josh arrived home he was sore. He was also angry. Josh's mother talked to him about leaving this altercation alone. The next day Josh and his friends were out and ran into one of the boys. Upon seeing him, Josh jumped out of his car and ran after him. Josh was unarmed! The boy pulled a knife from his sock and stabbed Josh. Joshs' friends jumped from the car and chased the boy, hitting him with a miniture baseball bat. Seeing that Josh was hurt, they left for help. Josh died within minutes of 911 being called. The boy that "murdered" Josh has not been charged. The police will not consider this a 2 day fight because Josh did not file a police report the night before. Police therefore, see the events of Josh's death as self-defense. Josh was also the victim of timing! Things were happening in the community that made his case unpopular for certain reasons. Police will not pursue a case that they do not think they can win. We, Josh's family, strongly disagree with this decision!!! Two boys fought, one was armed and walked away, one was unarmed and is dead! Painful as it is to accept the injustice, we leave the final judgement up to God. Several months before Josh was murdered, he went to religious instructions and was saved. As an immature teenager,Josh was beginning to make better decisions. However, he made a bad decision on July 1, 1998, and paid for it with his life. Josh will be missed and loved forever by his mother, step-father, little brother,grandparents, 3 aunts, 3 uncles, 7 cousins, his girlfriend and many friends.

Teenagers today are faced with so many negative influences: Drugs, rap music, peer pressure, alcohol, one parent families, no fathers in the home, and an x-rated world. Peer pressure isn't a bad thing if it's the right peers! First should come parents, family and God. These are the most impressive groups you can belong to! If you are a parent reading this - take heed! If you are a teen reading this - take heed! Whatever it takes Parents, do it! Counseling, private school, move to another area, do whatever is physically possible, or you too may be left with only a beautiful framed picture on the internet.......
Remember -- The time to stop violence is before it starts!!!

 

  "Joshua"
The sun comes up - I get out of bed,
The sun goes down - I get into bed
Nothing changes - Your still dead

Everywhere I look I see your face
Longing to touch you I run in place
But I can't find you

Memories of you stored deep in my mind
Wonderous days filled with joy
Yet they are now far behind

I breath, I talk, I eat
I function so I am told
No easy feat when I feel so cold

I stare at your picture in total disbelief
I stare at your picture
My heart fills with grief

My soul longs to take us
Far back into time
When your tiny hand clinged tightly to mine

Dreams of yesterday fill my head
Wonderous moments we shared
Joyous days and nights - Oh how I cared

For you, I had great hopes
For you, I had dreams - I looked ahead
But now -- You are dead

I mourn at your grave, the tears flow
My heart beats too fast
The time goes too slow

I can't be with you til God calls me there
So keep my love close
Til eternity we share

"Gramma loves you"




 


 

 

 


 

 

 

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