Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the Marshall University plane crash that killed most of the football team, coaches and some fans. Among the victims were three of my high school classmates, one of whom had been a close friend since grade school. That tragedy ended my age of innocence and doused any flames of mysticism that still influenced my life.
I still recall learning of that horrific event and often think of the victims, especially on the anniversary of the crash and on my birthdays. Conscious of the fragility of life and the too often random nature of death, I appreciate every year and have long since given up worrying about my age; we were only 20 at the time of the accident and I am now 70, fortunate to have experienced so much more during my time on this planet.
No doubt, some see a divine plan when such tragedies occur but it is clear to me that bad luck, foul weather and human error were the only culprits. While we have some control over our longevity, primarily by engaging in a healthy lifestyle, good genes and good luck are equally important. Their luck ran out fifty years ago and ours could end tomorrow.
