Graduation is usually a time when we reflect on our child’s life over the past 18 years. The day they were born, began to walk and talk, their first day of school, the day they began driving and all the days you smiled with pride as you watched them accomplish all their milestones and dreams during their growing up years. Jennifer always loved the companion animals. She wanted to make sure that animals were treated and cared for properly. With her caring passion for cats and dogs, she decided she wanted to be a veterinary technician. After graduating high school, she headed off to Fort Wayne to attend International Business College to put her dream into motion of becoming that vet tech. Every day, she was able to love on the animals in the kennel – caring for and reassuring them they were going to live long happy and healthy lives. Her dream was finally within reach. 
Unfortunately, her dream never became reality because of the devastating fire that January morning in 2009 that tragically took her life and the lives of her two roommates. Why do things like that happen? She had a life plan and was working so hard to achieve her dream. She had so much going for her. It just wasn’t fair! Coming to grips of what happened was no easy task. So easy to keep going over the “what ifs” and “if onlys” and other scenarios that may have kept that day from happening. But those thoughts just continue to perpetuate the heartache of what could and should have been. Instead, I eventually was able to concentrate on her accomplishments of having the life-dream and having the opportunity to be able to put her dream into motion. She was enjoying each day and was looking forward to graduation and that next chapter in her life. We were invited to attend the graduation ceremony to see her classmates achieve their dreams. There were three chairs where Jennifer and her two roommates would have sat that day, each chair occupied with the vet tech pin and a copy of the vet tech oath they would recite at the end of the graduation ceremony. Knowing they were not forgotten made it a little easier to cope.
Unfortunately, her dream never became reality because of the devastating fire that January morning in 2009 that tragically took her life and the lives of her two roommates. Why do things like that happen? She had a life plan and was working so hard to achieve her dream. She had so much going for her. It just wasn’t fair! Coming to grips of what happened was no easy task. So easy to keep going over the “what ifs” and “if onlys” and other scenarios that may have kept that day from happening. But those thoughts just continue to perpetuate the heartache of what could and should have been. Instead, I eventually was able to concentrate on her accomplishments of having the life-dream and having the opportunity to be able to put her dream into motion. She was enjoying each day and was looking forward to graduation and that next chapter in her life. We were invited to attend the graduation ceremony to see her classmates achieve their dreams. There were three chairs where Jennifer and her two roommates would have sat that day, each chair occupied with the vet tech pin and a copy of the vet tech oath they would recite at the end of the graduation ceremony. Knowing they were not forgotten made it a little easier to cope. 
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