Advertise Your Business Or Website At HomewithGod.com

The Rose Applet on this page
is very beautiful, don't you agree?
I have been looking for sometime now
to find the right background to do this page on.
Well I couldn't find anything I thought
would work, then it came to me.
What better way to express A Mother's Love
than a beautiful rose, and as you read
you will see that Garrett loved flowers.
So Cindy this rose is for you, My Angel Sister.

Please read and think about all of this
this is very important!
This could happen to you
or someone that you love
as much as Cindy & Tom
loves Torry & Garrett
They have already taken
their journey Home
but they will never be forgotten.

This time since the death of their
son and grandson
has been a healing time for them.
Cindy & Tom found the strength through their love
for Torry and Garrett to go to the school
and share their story.
This is a true story
All the names here are real people
just like you and I.

I have added some links below
for you to visit if you would
like too. May God bless you and
we pray this never happens to your family.

HELLO STUDENTS.
I AM GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY
IN MEMORY OF OUR CHILDREN,
FOR MY CONTINUED HEALING
AND FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
I AM NOT A GOOD SPEAKER
IN FRONT OF A LARGE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
I AM BETTER ON A ONE TO ONE BASIS,
BUT I WILL DO MY BEST IN TELLING YOU
ABOUT OUR SON TORRY-FOREVER 27 AND
OUR GRANDSON GARRETT-FOREVER 7.
OUR SON TORRY WAS ALWAYS SO PROUD OF GARRETT,
GARRETT WAS SO PROUD OF HIS DADDY,
AND WE WILL FOREVER BE PROUD OF THEM BOTH………

OUR SON TORRY WAS A SINGLE PARENT
AND HE BROUGHT HIS SON HOME
WHEN HE WAS JUST A DAY OLD.
TORRY WORKED HARD TO BETTER HIMSELF
FOR THE LOVE OF GARRETT
AND TO GIVE THEM BOTH A GOOD FUTURE.
TORRY WAS AN EMT AND
WORKED FULL TIME IN MOSES LAKE,WA.
FOR THE SAMARITAN AMBULANCE SERVICE.
HE WAS A VOLUNTEER ON OUR
AMBULANCE SERVICE IN EPHRATA,WA.
WHERE HE HAD BEEN ACTING CHIEF.
HE WORKED PART TIME
FOR THE EPHRATA POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND 911 EMERGENCY SERVICE.
TORRY ALSO COMMUTED TO COLLEGE
IN THE TRI-CITIES TWO NIGHTS A WEEK
WORKING TOWARDS HIS PARAMEDIC DEGREE.
SADLY HE DID NOT KNOW
AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH
THAT HE HAD PASSED HIS COLLEGE TESTS
WITH FLYING COLORS AND
TORRY WAS A PARAMEDIC.

GARRETT, OUR GRANDSON,
WAS THE LOVE OF OUR LIVES.
HE LOVED THE FLOWERS, BIRDS,
TREES, BUTTERFLIES
AND EVERYONE HE MET IN HIS SHORT LIFE TIME.
AT SCHOOL GARRETT WAS CALLED
THE “PEACEMAKER”
AND FRIENDSHIPS MEANT A LOT TO HIM.
HE HAD JUST FINISHED FIRST GRADE
ALTHOUGH HE READ AT THE SECOND GRADE
READING AND MATH LEVELS.
MY HUSBAND TOM AND I AND OUR FAMILY
FELT BLESSED TO BE ABLE
TO SHARE WITH TORRY IN RAISING GARRETT.
GARRETT HAD A CLOSE BOND WITH MY PARENTS
WHOM HE CALLED GRANDMAMA AND GRANDPAPA.
IT WAS A BOND OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
THE SAME UNCONDITIONAL LOVE THAT TOM AND I
SHARED WITH OUR CHILDREN AND GARRETT.
GARRETT AND HIS DAD
WERE WISE BEYOND THEIR YEARS
& WERE LOVING, CARING,
AND COMPASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS.
WE JUST DID NOT KNOW HOW CLOSE
THEY WALKED WITH THE ANGELS………..

TORRY, GARRETT, TOM AND I
LEFT EPHRATA ON THE AFTERNOON
OF THE 4TH OF JULY, 2000.
WE WERE HEADED FOR A WEDDING
TO BE HELD AT RED LODGE, MONTANA.
TORRY WAS TO BE BEST MAN
AT HIS BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING.
WE ONLY HAD A FEW MILES TO GO
BEFORE STOPPING AT OUR MOTEL
FOR THE FIRST EVENING.
AS WE ROUNDED A CORNER ON THE FREEWAY
A DRUNK DRIVER HAD CROSSED
OVER ONTO OUR SIDE OF THE ROAD.
HE HIT US HEAD ON
AS HE HAD FOLLOWED OUR LIGHTS
AS TORRY TRIED TO TURN OUR VEHICLE
AND AVOID THE CAR CRASH.
THE LAST WORDS OUR SON
SAID TO US THAT TRAGIC NIGHT,
“I WILL SAVE YOU,”
ONLY CONFIRMED HIS LOVE FOR OTHERS.
OUR PRECIOUS GRANDSON GARRETT
DIED ON IMPACT ALTHOUGH I GAVE HIM CPR
UNTIL THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED.
OUR BELOVED SON TORRY DIED
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE HOSPITAL.
MY HUSBAND TOM LIVED ONLY BY SHEER STRENGTH.
IT IS HARD TO PUT INTO WORDS
MY FEELINGS OF COMPLETE AND TOTAL HELPLESSNESS
THAT TERRIBLE NIGHT.
WE WERE ALL WEARING SEAT BELTS
THAT WAS A RULE IN OUR HOME
AS TORRY HAD SEEN MANY TIMES
THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT
WEARING A SEAT BELT IN HIS PROFESSION.

ONLY MOMENTS BEHIND US,
A HIGHWAY PATROLMAN
CAME UPON OUR VEHICLES.
HE ASSURED ME THAT
AN AMBULANCE WAS ON ITS WAY.
I CONTINUED TO GIVE MY GRANDSON CPR
AND PRAYED THAT IT WOULD KEEP HIM ALIVE.
IN MY HEART I WAS HOPING THAT GARRETT
WOULD REMEMBER THIS AS GENTLE KISSES
WHEN HE TOOK HIS LAST BREATH.
IN BETWEEN GIVING GARRETT CPR,
I TOLD TORRY, GARRETT, AND TOM
THAT I LOVED THEM
AND WATCHED AS OUR SON’S LIFE
EBBED SLOWLY AWAY…….
HOW I PRAYED THAT NIGHT,
PLEASE DO NOT LET OUR CHILDREN SUFFER
AND PLEASE DEAR GOD TAKE MY MIND AWAY!

WHEN THE AMBULANCE ARRIVED
THERE WAS A WINDOW BROKEN
AT THE BACK OF OUR VEHICLE
THAT AN EMT WAS ABLE TO CRAWL THROUGH.
WE WERE TRAPPED IN OUR SEAT BELTS
AS THEY HAD LOCKED ON IMPACT.
THIS EMT RISKED HER LIFE
TO TRY AND SAVE OURS
AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET SECURE.
IT COULD HAVE BURST
INTO FLAMES AT ANY MOMENT.
WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO
RELEASE GARRETT’S SEAT BELT…….
I KEPT PRAYING AS I LIFTED GARRETT
INTO THE EMT’S ARMS THAT GOD
WOULD WATCH OVER HIM.
I KISSED HIS SWEET FACE,
HIS SWEET ARM,
AND HIS SWEET FOOT
AS HE WAS TAKEN AWAY…..
GARRETT WAS MY ANGEL HERE ON EARTH
AS HE IS A SPECIAL ANGEL
HOLDING HIS DADDY’S HAND NOW……

AS THE OTHER VEHICLE
HAD ALMOST WELDED ITSELF
TO OURS ON IMPACT AND
WE HAD BEEN PUSHED
NEXT TO THE GUARDRAIL,
THE “JAWS OF LIFE,”
HAD TO BE USED TO CUT OFF
THE TOP OF OUR VEHICLE.
WE WERE IMMEDIATELY MOVED
TO THE NEAREST TRAUMA HOSPITAL.
TOM AND TORRY WERE AIR LIFTED.
I WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE.
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE HOSPITAL,
I WAS IN AND OUT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.
THE ONLY WORDS THAT REMAINED
IN MY MIND AND IN MY HEART,
MY HUSBAND WAS IN SURGERY,
OUR BELOVED TORRY AND GARRETT WERE DEAD.
HOW THOSE WORDS HURT AND THE ACHE IN MY HEART
THAT HAS NOT GONE AWAY……..

TOM AND I WENT THROUGH
SIX MONTHS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY.
WE HAVE MENDED OUR BODIES
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
AND NOW WE ARE MENDING
OUR MINDS AND OUR HEARTS.
WE DO NOT BLAME THE MAN THAT HIT US,
HE DIED TOO.
HE WAS ONLY 33 YEARS OLD
AND HE HAS A MOM AND DAD
CRYING FOR HIM SOMEWHERE.
THIS MAN ABOVE ALL ELSE NEEDED HELP
AS HE COULD NOT HELP HIMSELF.
WE CAN ONLY BLAME THE WHOLE OF MANKIND
AS THERE SHOULD BE STRICTER LAWS
MADE AND ENFORCED
TO KEEP DRUNK DRIVERS OFF OUR ROADS
AND OUR CHILDREN TAUGHT
IN THEIR HOMES AND SCHOOLS
NEVER TO DRINK AND DRIVE.
WHAT A BETTER WORLD
IT WOULD BE IF EVERYONE
WAS TAUGHT THE CONSEQUENCES
OF DRINKING AND DRIVING.
AS AN EMT,
TORRY NOT ONLY SAVED VICTIMS
OF DRUNK DRIVERS,
BUT DRUNK DRIVERS THEMSELVES.
GARRETT DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE
TO HAVE HIS FIRST DATE,
HIS FIRST CAR,
OR ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE……
I WILL NEVER AGAIN
HEAR MY SON TORRY SAY,
“I LOVE YOU MOM.”
I WILL NEVER AGAIN
HEAR MY GRANDSON GARRETT SAY
“I LOVE YOU GRANDMA.”
I NOW CAN ONLY CARRY
THE ECHO OF THOSE MEMORIES IN MY HEART…….
WE CRY FOR WHAT SHOULD
HAVE BEEN FOR TORRY AND GARRETT.
WE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
THAT THERE WILL NOT BE
OTHER FAMILY’S THAT HAVE
TO SUFFER WITH THE PAIN
AND THE HEARTACHE
OF LOSING LOVED ONES
DUE TO A DRUNK DRIVER.
WE ONLY FIND PEACE IN KNOWING
THAT TORRY AND GARRETT ARE TOGETHER.
OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS,
AND CARING COMMUNITIES
HAVE GIVEN TOM AND ME THE STRENGTH
TO REACH FOR OUR TOMORROWS.
WE CAN ONLY HELP OTHERS AND
TRY TO FIND PEACE WITH IN OURSELVES.
PARENTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED
TO OUT LIVE THEIR CHILDREN.
THIS IS THE HEAVIEST CROSS
THAT TOM AND I CARRY…….
THE LOSS OF OUR CHILDREN –
IT IS OUR LAST THOUGHTS
BEFORE WE GO TO BED AT NIGHT
AND OUR FIRST THOUGHTS
WHEN WE WAKE UP EACH MORNING.

WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO TELL EVERYONE
ABOUT TORRY AND GARRETT
AND LET “US” ALL WORK TOGETHER
TO FIND AN ANSWER TO ONE OF
THE MOST “PREVENTABLE DEATHS”
THAT HAPPEN THROUGH OUT OUR WORLD,
DRUNK DRIVERS.
STUDENTS, YOU ARE OUR FUTURE.
TORRY AND GARRETT’S FUTURE WAS TAKEN AWAY.
I AM JUST A MOM AND GRANDMA
ASKING EACH ONE OF YOU STUDENTS
– TO REMEMBER TORRY AND GARRETT –
NOT JUST TODAY OR TOMORROW,
BUT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES.
MY QUESTION,
HOW MANY MORE
FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS
DO WE LOSE BEFORE LAWS ARE CREATED
TO STOP DRUNK DRIVERS
FROM INJURING AND KILLING?
IT WILL TAKE STUDENTS AS YOU
TO MAKE WISE DECISIONS
ABOUT ALCOHOL & YOUR FUTURE.
IF AND WHEN YOU MAKE
THAT CHOICE TO DRINK,
USE A DESIGNATED DRIVER.
AS WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TRAGEDY
LAY AROUND THE CORNER
THAT FATEFUL NIGHT,
I CAN ONLY SAY…….
IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.
WHETHER YOU BE THE INNOCENT LIFE TAKEN
OR YOU BE THE DRUNK DRIVER THAT KILLS….........

THERE IS A QUOTE
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE WITH YOU ……..
”WE DO NOT REMEMBER DAYS,
WE REMEMBER MOMENTS.”
REMEMBER THESE MOMENTS THAT
I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU TODAY
ABOUT OUR FAMILY,
BUT MOST OF ALL
PLEASE REMEMBER TORRY AND GARRETT’S NAMES
AS THEN IN MY HEART I WILL KNOW,
THAT AS THEIR NAMES ARE REMEMBERED,
THEY WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN………..

THANK YOU

CINDY & TOM

Please visit Torry and Garrett Memorial page
Just click on their picture