Hi Norman,

I was so shocked that morning in 1966 when the school announced that you had been killed walking to school by a hit and run driver. I know that a few days earlier I had been the lighting director for our school talent show. Your act as a calypso dancer brought many looks and comments from the audience, along with a lot of ridicule. I felt so bad that I, too, had laughed and made fun of your act along with lots of others. Your full costume with the tight black pants, gaucho waistcoat along, and a hat with tassels was a strange sight indeed.

You danced with such vigor and talent. Unfortunately that was overlooked. People were merciless to you in the following days, calling you such bad names. It was embarrassing to hear but I did nothing to stop it or protect you. You were in my homeroom and there was some of the worst. Your sexuality was questioned along with your parentage. I did not see you retaliate at all. I did talk to my dad about the whole situation but still did not come forward.

Here it is, 43 years later, and I still think about what I did not do. I guess it makes it worse when I cannot be sure if you were killed by one of our classmates that was still making fun of you. I can just see someone playing chicken with you and it getting out of hand. After all, you were just walking, and the reports say you flew almost 60 feet in the air. The whole school attitude changed after the incident but no one bragged or ever came forward to take responsibility.

I can only pray that I can finally get to ask you what happened when we meet in heaven. I hope you have forgiven me for not coming forward and protecting you. After all, I was the big jock that could control a lot of the crowd that was terrible to you. I know that I am a better person today from the lesson I learned but still wish I had done better when I was 17 years old. I am now almost 60 and you never got to see your 18th birthday. I wish I could have told you this to your face.

God be with you, Norm Cominelly. I hope and pray this letter may give me even more peace and understanding and a better insight as to what to do with the rest of my life.

Sincerely,

Tom, age 60