A Great Loss

       Losses in our communities hurt us all. We feel the pain collectively and individually. Last week our whole State of North Carolina, and beyond, hurt with the tragic loss of Elena Shapiro.

Elena Bright Shapiro

November 14, 1988 – September 11, 2009 

      Elena grew up in our community and was perhaps best known as a dancer.  She was talented, hard working, and beautiful.  Elena graced the stages of our Triad area and beyond for many years, even though she was so young. Most recently, she was sharing her grace and talent with an expanded audience through the Carolina Ballet. Her tragic loss resulting from a car wreck stunned and saddened all of us.

      Elena touched so many people through her dance that those with even just a small connection to her or her family felt this as a personal loss. Sitting at the memorial service and watching the family’s pain, which is beyond our comprehension, I remembered words that I had heard some years ago. "We gather around this family not because we can feel their pain, but because they must know we care."      

     The pain reinforces our determination to make a difference. We now must collectively step forward and make a difference when and where we can. We must do this for this family, for our communities, and for our future. This quest continues for all of us. At the same time, our communities must collectively continue to wrap our arms around this family. They need us today, tomorrow, and into the extended future.

     The circumstances of Elena’s death makes the loss even more painful. Even for our Lewis & Daggett Team it makes our quest through the Safe Sober Prom Night program vividly real. Of course, our message is to a larger audience than just students, and clearly our work must continue.

     Then, just this past weekend we were reassured in the face of this tragedy. We were talking to a mother who started a race called "Angels Race" seven years ago after the tragic loss of her teenage daughter. She looked at us with both a sparkle and a tear in her eyes simply saying "It is great to see something positive come of something so tragic."

     The tragic loss of Elena makes us all come together. We must support and then encourage this family. Then, we all must take steps in a positive direction to make sure that something positive comes out of this event that was so tragic. Collectively we must, in our own ways, make a positive difference for the future of our community.