We know you’ve heard it before, but almost every year somebody dies at Lake Shasta.
As Memorial Day weekend looms before us, we would like to channel our grief into a message for those of you going to Shasta. We cannot change the past, but we hope to honor Joel Meyer, a University student who drowned last year, by using this tragedy as a cautionary example. If one person who reads this is less careless with the combination of alcohol and water, we will have accomplished what we set out to do in writing this.
In order to serve Joel’s memory in a positive way, we want to ask our peers to approach this weekend safely and intelligently. Freak accidents can happen: Joel’s death was the result of one misstep on the houseboat roof.
All it takes is one slip, one fluke within a single moment in time.
The combination of alcohol, water and houseboats has proved to be lethal in countless instances. It is our hope that this year another tragedy will not occur.
Prior to our trip last year we heard the same thing.
Although we talked about the potential risks associated with a weekend in Shasta, none of us could have ever imagined that the person who died last year would be our friend Joel. Although an extreme effort was made to save him, the attempts were not successful. The water was too deep and too dark to find him in time.
Undoubtedly, the process of mourning was difficult for all affected by Joel’s death. Although our struggle has been long and hard, we can’t even comprehend the void in the lives of Joel’s family. We don’t want another family and group of friends to get the same tragic news this year about their child, their sibling or their friend.
At our young and promising age, it is a common sentiment to feel invincible. We have our whole lives ahead of us as we all hear often. However, there are no guarantees about how long any of us will live. Joel’s untimely death is an example of this.
In honor of Joel and of all the lives that have been tragically lost at Shasta, please make wise decisions this year and understand that bad things can happen.
We hope this year will be safe.
Life is a gift that has no time guarantee. For all of you who are going to Shasta, please keep this in mind.
Joel, we miss you. Your memory has made us appreciate each day of life more, and it is our sincere hope that your premature death will lead to light, in some unexplainable capacity.
Marisa Ellman and Kara Dahl
University students