Bonnie's Journal

Ten years have come and gone like a blink of an eye. I still think about you both every single day. I saw two white doves together, as I do every year on this date. I know it's the both of you letting me know that you're watching over me and keeping me safe.

I was supposed to be in that car with you, but a family thing came up, so I had to cancel. I keep thinking that if only I was there with you, you would have been awake, and therefore safe from veering off the LIE and into that tree. But I don't really know that.

I miss you and love you both.

Billy McLaughlin: October 21, 1983 - November 11, 2001
Cathy McLaughlin: September 24, 1982 - November 11, 2001

~*::Meow::*~

It is with great sadness that I present this news. Last night, I found out that Toby (gldm) passed away. I wasn't told any details; just that he passed. He was only 34.

This morning I was linked to an entry written by kilroyfirelizrd that explains Toby's passing. You can read it here. And like kilroyfirelizrd said, I'm just glad he went without suffering.

I'm too distraught for words. I met him through kathrishali many, many years ago. And then through a twist of It's a Small World, no really, it is, I found out that he went to school with jcholewa. Worlds collided that day.

I think the last time I saw Toby in person was when I was still attending Stony Brook & he and his husband came to visit me. That was in 2005. The last time I spoke to him was this past October.

It's getting really hard for me to type because I cannot see through the tears in my eyes...

Rest in Peace, Toby. August 4th, 1976 - March 15th, 2011.

You were one of the good ones.

~*::Meow::*~

It's been 9 years since the accident that claimed the lives of two very special people in my life. My world came crashing down on November 11, 2001.

I had a very bizarre and vivid dream that morning. In the dream, I was sitting in the backseat of a car, but not really... I was kinda just floating there. In the driver's seat was a girl with long hair, and in the passenger seat a guy with spiky hair, but I didn't see either of their faces. All I could tell was that both were asleep. The car veered off the road and struck a tree. When the car went up in flames, I woke up with a start... at 4:45am.

The entire day, I felt really off but yet there was also this presence around me. At 10pm, my friend Craig broke the news to me and told me how it happened and what time it happened. I was in disbelief. My dream and the time I woke up matched reality exactly. It was at that point that the presence made sense.

Billy and Cathy McLaughlin needlessly lost their lives that day. I always wonder what life would be like if they were still alive today. Billy was going to follow in his father's footsteps and be an elevator repairman and Cathy was an aspiring actress, who at the time was performing at Theater Three in Port Jefferson.

I think about them every single day. It doesn't get any easier. :(

Billy McLaughlin: October 21, 1983 - November 11, 2001
Cathy McLaughlin: September 24, 1982 - November 11, 2001

~*::Meow::*~

Five years ago, at the time I started writing this (7:30am), I was waiting for the morning meeting of Specialists before getting out there to direct traffic and walk campers to their groups. Bob walked down from the office and met us near the tennis courts. He told us he had very grave news, and then preceeded to tell us about an accident that happened after work the previous day. Christina Poggoli was driving home from work with his brother in the passenger seat, when they were sideswiped. And even though she was wearing her seat belt, she was flung from the car via the open sunroof. Both she and her brother were airlifted to Stony Brook. She was pronounced dead at 6am. We were collectively a wreck.

We were the first of the staff to find out about it and were told that the Counselors were going to have a huge meeting about it during morning arrival, although they already knew. Bob assigned a portion of Specialists to go onto the tennis court to watch the children when they arrived. Bob assignmed me to watch Tuscarora B (8 and 9 year olds going into 4th grade), Christina's group. I'm really glad I chose to wear sunglasses that day, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to do it. So, I walked onto the tennis court with a huge smile on my face and watched and played with them as if nothing had happened. A few of them asked what the meeting was about, so I told them "Cups, and how the counselors have to make sure everyone throws out their cups." I couldn't tell them what it was really about, I wasn't allowed to...no one was.

After the counselors had their debriefing, a large portion of them couldn't handle the news and went home. Others came back on the tennis courts and went to their groups. I was asked by a few of the campers why the other counselors were crying. This killed me. Keeping with the cup story, I said that it was also because they were told they could never have water fights. I knew they didn't believe me, but they laughed along with me anyway.

When it was time for the groups to go to their first activities, I walked with Tusc B to theirs and stayed a while until Bob came by to tell me to go set up my Music area. After I did that, I didn't have a group for a while, so I went into the Rinx and found a corner where no child could see me, and just bawled. It was awful.

Toward the end of the day, Tuscarora B was brought to a location nearby Go Carts, where they could all sit together. They were then joined by their parents. Rich (the director), Bob, the Junior Girls division head, and a Grief counselor met with them and talked about the passing of their counselor Christina and how she wasn't going to be coming back.

It was the hardest day I ever had while working at Hidden Pond Day Camp. Now those girls are CITs and I wonder if they remember that day. There is never a day that goes by that I don't think about that day, or you Christina. My last memory of you alive was the day before. It was Hawaiian Day, and your group had Music. One of your campers took a picture of me that day and you are in the background. I still have that picture.

Christina Marie Poggoli "Live, Love, Laugh" - 3/7/88 - 7/27/05

~*::Meow::*~

Holy shit!! Why does death always come in threes? First, two days ago, we lost Ed McMahon. Early this afternoon, we lost Farrah Fawcett. And now, Michael Jackson is dead. Shit.

~*::Meow::*~

Estelle Getty, most famous for her portrayal of Sophia Petrillo on "The Golden Girls", passed away this morning at 5:30am. She was 84.

Click for story

~*::Meow::*~

I can't believe it's been 5 years already.

Five.Tear filled.Years!! :'(

~*::Meow::*~

Christina Poggioli was in a car accident that occured on Townline Road in Hauppauge yesterday, on her way home from work. We found out this morning that she died at 6am. She was only 17.

For those of you who do not know who she is, she was a Camp Counselor for Tuscarora B this summer at Hidden Pond Day Camp. Last year, she was a Runner for the office. The year before, a CIT. She's been a part of the Hidden Pond family since she was a little camper. She also went to Smithtown High School and this coming year was to be her Senior year.

Her brother, Nick, a CIT, was also in the car when the accident happend. He only had a concussion.

From what I know, she was side swiped on Townline Road and flung out of the car via her open sunroof. She was wearing her seatbelt. They flew both her and her brother by helicopter, to Stony Brook University Hospital.

For Christina: You are now with your mom. You will be greatly missed by me and everyone else at Hidden Pond. You will always be in my thoughts. I love you.

Christina Marie Rose Poggioli - 3/7/88 - 7/27/05

~*::Meow::*~