It is tough to wrap the mind around such a tragedy. Pastor Jeff Geske, his wife Laura, and their three children were driving west on I-70 when a driver (reason still unknown at this writing) veered out of the eastbound lanes, came across the grassy median and hit their van head on. Laura, Joshua (8) and Joy (3) were killed instantly. Jeff and Jacob (Joy’s fraternal twin) survived with comparatively minimal injuries.
The feelings are still too raw to try to think through and analyze the dynamics, looking for ways to make sense of such a thing. There is no sense to be made of it. Having gone through tragedies with very many others in forty years of ministry, there will be time to process the event and look back on it, finding profoundly meaningful elements, what might ultimately be recognized to be great good out of tragedy. What happened is not good. What is good is that in the Christian tradition of which these people are a part, of which I am a part, there are resources for survival, even survival with hope. Those resources provide an understanding of a secure present and future for those who did not survive.
The struggle remains for Pastor Jeff and Jacob to make sense of life again without Laura, Joshua and Joy spending it with them. Pastors do not feel pain any less intensely than anyone else. They are no less devastated than anyone else would be. They, along with all who are Christian, have very specific resources from a connection with Someone who provides strength when human strength fails to a community of support that is caring, ready to surround them with love.
Saturday afternoon when this happened a few miles west of here on Interstate 70, I had just started traveling east on Interstate 70, heading to Kansas City. I had a great meal in mid-town Kansas City at a restaurant bistro called Nica’s 320 with my Son, Micah and Granddaughter Chloe. Mom Becky was home sick with a cold. It is hard to incorporate into my reality that first little grandchild of ours having become a beautiful young lady who can pretty much look me in the eye now.
After dinner, I went on to the Kauffman Center (oblivious to what had happened on that Interstate not long before). There I saw a performance by Parson’s Dance. I was overwhelmed by the skill and creativity, moved by deep emotion expressed, wowed by a single dancer performing in a strobe light creating the illusion that he was hanging absolutely still in mid-air in various positions for the six minute piece. One piece found the grief corner in me as a death was portrayed in a very expressive and moving way.
After discovering (through Facebook) what had happened to the Geske family when I got home, all of a sudden my grief moments moved from center stage to a barely visible margin of reality. On Friday at the Dermatologist’s office, thoughts of Mary Ann’s struggles surfaced since we had spent so much time there (negotiating very inaccessible rooms and hallways and entry way) dealing with the removal of skin Cancers. On the way home from the Kauffman Center Saturday evening I was wishing I had someone or some group to spend time with talking about the dramatic display I had just seen just to unwind. When I arrived home and saw what had happened, I immediately stopped feeling sorry for myself. While there is no comparing one person’s grief to another’s, the loss in an instant of most of a whole family is almost too much to bear.
I was contacted yesterday evening by one of the local television stations to do an interview, sharing my perception of the impact of this event on the congregation at the morning worship service. While most of the interview was not used, it was helpful to me to talk it through as the videographer asked questions. As the Facebook conversation continues, it is clear that the support for Pastor Jeff and Jacob is growing at a blinding speed. Yes, it is a horrible tragedy. Nothing any of us can say or do will change that. At the same time there is being released an avalanche of love and concern and a willingness to do whatever it will take to support Pastor Jeff and Jacob as they build a new life together.
All who pray are encouraged to keep Pastor Jeff Geske, his son Jacob, their extended family, his congregation and all those who love that family in your prayers.