R.I.P. Jon-Jon

I got a call this morning. It was my little brother telling me that our cousin in Chicago died from a car accident.

He was young. I think 26 years old. I forgot. But he was driving home early in the morning from a party that night. He was on the highway and crashed into a tree. He must've died on the spot as what the police said. It was around 6AM when it happened and during that time is when the highway is deserted, it was Sunday morning afterall. My little brother told me after my dad received word about what happened from Jon-Jon's older brother. The police said he fell asleep on the wheel and over-corrected himself once he woke up, thus he swerved the car and running into a tree. The car flipped and he was ejected through the windshield, he wasn't wearing a seatbelt. I've noticed from the past that his family usually doesn't wear them when riding or driving. Since the highway was deserted, help didn't arrive immediately. He had head trauma, broken hip, etc after he was taken to the hospital as what the doctors said.

I cried. It's sad to hear what happened. I grew up with him. My family traveled to visit him and his family often. Mostly every year back when we were still living in New Jersey and sometimes in North Carolina. They were my favorite relatives. Jon-Jon leaves behind his mom (my dad's only sister), his oldest and only sister, and his older brother. And of course, me, his friends, and relatives. I'm really sad about him because he was the only one I could relate to. He was the youngest. I don't know what to do now and how things will be in future trips to see them in Chicago. He was a troubled kid. He moved to Los Angeles for various reasons, but the city ate and spat him out. He had a car accident there and I think that was one of the reasons he moved back to Chicago. A month ago, my mom visited them in Chicago and I had a chance to talk to Jon-Jon's mom. She was asking me to talk to him and to get his mind together. She even gave me his cellphone number. I did say I planned to call him but I never did, and I regret it.

Goodbye Jon-Jon.. I'll miss you.

~Lor