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Page 21 text:
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The unbearable pain that fills our hearts upon the loss of a loved one is difficult to ex¬ press with words. Sorrow and anger consume us and we have to ask why. Why did it have to happen? Why him? It all seems so unfair, so unendurable. The dull ache in our hearts doesn’t want to go away. We wish it were all a dream, but soon reality sets in and we realize that life must go on. Eventually our lives return to normal, but we will never forget; the pain will remain forever. Unfortunately, we all had to deal with such shocking reality this year when Mr. Robert Purich was killed in a tragic explosion. We dealt with it again, later, when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, killing Mrs. Christa McAuliffe and six astronauts. Although the circumstances were different, the feeling of complete devastation was the same. Our entire community felt it, as did Christa’s community, the educational com¬ munity, and the nation at large. They wanted to share themselves with others, to make a difference in our lives. Their deaths affected all of us; we will never forget the impact they had upon our lives. Mr. Robert Purich was many things to the residents of Bellingham. Though he served the community as a policeman, selectman, and member of the parks commission, his specialty was with the youth of the town. He was known to us as a teacher, a guidance counselor, and a coach, but he will be remembered for much more than that. He will be remembered for standing in the halls, saying “hi” to anyone that passed, for listening when we had a problem, for coaching the golf team when we needed one, for bringing kids into his own home when they needed help, and for much much more. Mr. Purich’s death on Columbus Day was hard for us to accept. We couldn’t believe that something so horrible could happen in our town. It was the type of thing that we were supposed to read about happening somewhere else, to someone else. For a while, we were the ones asking why. We were the ones feeling angry and confused. It took time, but now that we have accepted it, it is easier to think of the things we shared with him. It is easier to think of the good times. Mrs. Christa McAuliffe was one of us, a normal civilian who had gotten lucky. She was to be the first teacher in space. The whole nation was cheering for her, wishing they were in her place. In the end, everyone was glad that they were not in her place. Seventy-four seconds after liftoff, the shuttle exploded, killing Christa and the other six astronauts. It was considered the worst disaster in space history. The entire nation was in a state of shock. Her community felt it more than anyone. The following two pages are dedicated to the memory of these two people who gave so much of themselves and expected nothing in return. For their contributions, we will be eternally grateful. 17
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Page 22 text:
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r v ' • The members of the class of 1986 will never forget Mr. Robert Purich and the tremendous impact he has had on our lives. It is not often that one individual is so special to so many people. We admired him for his generous out¬ pouring of love, caring, and availability to anyone in need. He always had a ready smile for all as he passed by in the hall. A joke for the guys and a tease for the girls were always on his lips. He was quick to bring out the best in us, to make us smile when we were feeling down. To us, Mr. Purich was more than a mere educator and counselor. He was a friend whom we loved very much and will remember in our hearts forever. 18
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