Dear Editor,
It’s one thing to get a call that your kid is in trouble or your kid is sick, it is a completely different thing when your wife tells you your kids are missing.
I got the word about four hours into (my kids) Daniel and Mark’s adventure, about the same time the reverse 911 went out.
I found out around the same time as many of you. What happens next, to me anyway, is a wave of thoughts and emotions that you cannot grasp unless you have been there. Yes, it was only four hours, but man, oh, man it was four hours and you don’t know where your kids are. From that point on, every minute seems like an eternity. When your imagination wanders to horrible evil places it should never go, hours 5-6-7 seem almost unbearable except that you must find your kids. As you all know, we had a happy ending.
When I say we, I include many, if not all, of you. In hindsight, what my family witnessed on that day was nothing shy of amazing. When the authorities were notified, the speed and controlled abandon in which they worked was at the very least commendable. When the calls went out to our local community, the number of you that came to help was inspiring. It has been a few weeks now and no, our kids were not playing with friends at Reid, their poorly planned journey and bad judgment of time got them in a little trouble. When they realized the authorities were searching for them, they panicked and feared they would not be allowed back home, so they hid in a field on the other side of the River – behind Reid. If you don’t know their history of living in Ukraine, you will have to trust me, this makes sense. They now know that nothing can keep us apart. They also are aware of the unnecessary burden they put on our community and the authorities and want you all to know that they are very sorry. In reflection, my mind takes me back to an American History class I took in college. Professor Wilson’s lectures always came back to the same premise. America’s foundation was built on its citizens? devotion to family, church and local community. Prof. Wilson would also warn that we, as Americans, were losing these values. I remember struggling in having to write an essay arguing this point. I wish I had a redo. In my redo, I would write about a small Midwest town where our cross country team runs a little faster, our wrestlers work a little harder, our robotics team is a little more creative, our students are more studious and our parents are a little prouder. And in this small town if a couple of our young people go missing, the families, the church and the local community all come out in full force in support of a family in need. This small town is Goodrich, Michigan, Mr. Wilson, and in our town, the foundation of America is alive and well. For the policeman, the sheriff, the FBI agent, for the 911 operator, the channel ABC12 news, the bus driver, the owner of Brown’s Do It, for our friends, neighbors, church members, concerned citizens and Mrs. Goodrich, we graciously thank you all for your prayers and your help,
The Wood family
Proud, like you, to be part of our Goodrich community