With the unexpected death of my cousin and friend Andrew Futrell, I have been coping the best I can. Andrew was one of those people who could always make you smile. I was a friend of his but we weren’t friends. do you get what i am trying to say. We were kinda close but not extremely. I was closer to his mom. She works at a local insurance company here in town and anytime i see her i have to give her a hard time.
But first let me start off with this go here to see the video made by Jason waller. It is a song i am assuming he wrote and sang. it is a verse from Jeremiah.
The accident report says:
(Per Randy Rogers – 5:00 on Wednesday December 6, 2007)
Truck with six students, Andrew Futrell, Ryan Futrell, Sam Lingenfelter, Emily Lingenfelter (driver), Justin Birk (truck owner), and Quintin Ratzlaff was headed home from Burlingame about 9:30 PM on Tuesday December 4 on US 75. Vehicle exited the K-31 off ramp (Melvern Lake) and stopped at stop sign. At least some of the boys exited the vehicle to urinate. A school bus (Waverly?) returning from Burlingame exited at this time and the youths tried to hurry to get out of the way before the bus arrived. Radio was playing loudly and Emily thought all were back on board the 4 door, crew cab pickup. The truck had been ‘mudding’ earlier and evidently had dripped mud/water on the highway.
Andrew Futrell was not yet in the vehicle when Emily started out. He was running beside it on the rear passenger side with one hand on the door and one on the seat. Sam Lingenfelter was in the middle. Back seat passenger(s) (Sam and Ryan) yelled for Emily to stop but the radio was loud and she didn’t hear them. It is presumed that Andrew hit a slick spot with his foot and slipped. One second he was there and the next he was not and there was a loud thump. At this time Emily was slowing the pickup and Ryan jumped from the left rear passenger door while the truck was still moving. He fell and sustained some injuries.
CPR was attempted but Andrew was pronounced dead at the scene. No other students were transported or reported injured at this time.
Ryan and Andrew were Twins. Andrew born 24 minutes after Ryan.
Ryan was transported to KU MED and released friday afternoon. The funeral was sunday. there was a visitation saturday. I went to both. I got to the visitation at about 5:35 and left at 6:45. I stood behind Dave and Rhonda Gilman. Dave is out technology teacher at school and Rhonda is one of the secretary’s. There were at least 150 people the entire time at least til about 7:00. When Dave got up to the family he hugged Ryan and both started crying. That got me. I hugged Adam(brother), Tim (Father) and Brenda (Mother). When I hugged her I was already crying and she asked me if I had been in anymore accidents lately. Brenda being her normal self.
After the visitation I went to a candle light vigil held for Andrew. It was 23º out. Very, very, very cold. We wanted to stay until the Futrell family went by so they could see we were doing something and we were there for them. We received a text message from Lori Muilenberg(Adam’s Girlfriend) saying there were alot of people still at the visitation and for us to go ahead and go home. The family knew we were out there and they appreciated us but to get home before we got sick. Fast forward to sunday 2:00.
Its the funeral. David Sturgeon is the one conducting the funeral. He says a few words and introduced a song that Ryan felt was near and dear to his brothers heart. Tim had given Andrew and red ‘73 Nova and the song “Fast Cars and Freedom” is all about a red ‘73 Nova and a girl with blue eyes. He then had Steely Davenport get up to say some things. He said a few more things and then proceeded to have The Members of Ghost Recon (SP?) and Corey Hugunin get up to say a few words. They shared their memories of him. Then came the slideshow. It contained many pictures of him. They put it to the song “Friends” by Micheal W. Smith. This song is near and dear to my heart because my barbershop chorus in topeka does an arrangement of this song. It will make me cry everytime i sing it now. A few more words were said and they took the casket out. This was held in the high school gymnasium. Yes the casket was in the school. I could get on my soap box about that but won’t. It was a fitting service followed by a graveside burial. I went thru to talk to the family there, too, and Brenda once again said something to the effect of she was glad all of her family was there, in reference to me. I am glad to know that even though we are somewhat distant cousin, 3rd or 4th i think, i still have a place in her heart as family. I then hugged ryan and we both started crying and he said something to the effect of family…we have to stick together.
Now most of you may be thinking what about the girl that hit him. I do not hold her accountable for anything that happened. She has already been “forgiven” by the family, i do not hold her at fault. God has a reason for everything. She was back in school today and she looked like she was holding up ok. Ryan came back today too. I don’t know if he went to classes or not. I know he was there though and he is extremely bored of being locked up at home.
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