A Promise to Adam

Image: A Promise to Adam

From the weekly column, "On Second Thought," in the Sports section of the Boston Sunday Globe (9/26/10), a piece titled, A son lost, a promise to keep:

Those of us who have more than we need, and those of us with something less, are asked regularly to sign on to something. It’s very much part of the American way, all the more because of the Internet, with all of us now so easily reached, connected, offered entrance into our friends’ lives and causes, joys and sorrows.

A neighbor is walking to raise money for breast cancer and asks us to pledge maybe 5, 10, or 15 cents a mile. Our church is sending its youth group out of state for charity work, so before we leave Sunday’s service, we sign the clipboard to assure them they can count on our $25. The office, reminding us to be good citizens all, partners with the United Way and our e-mails ding with the reminder to give what we can. A fellow Red Sox fan with an ailing child at Dana-Farber mentions the Jimmy Fund and we say, “Tell me where to send the check.’’

Howard London and Barbara Spivak aren’t asking you for a penny. They want you, they need you, perhaps more than they’ve wanted or needed anything or anyone in their lives. They’d like you and your friends, your kids, your nephews, your half-cousins, your girlfriend’s boyfriend, your stepbrother’s best buddy, anyone and everyone to sign on to the short list of obligations they call “A Promise to Adam.’’ Pay nothing up front. Pay nothing ever.

Just keep in mind what happened to their son, Adam London.

Especially if you are a high schooler, Adam’s grief-stricken parents would like you to think of Adam as your “BFFL’’ whenever you are in a car. Adam is no longer here to share your love and friendship, his life brought to an end in an instant, at 9:46 p.m. on Aug. 23, the fatal consequence of his speeding a car down a wet, winding, hilly Newton street on his way to a party. The crash site was about one mile from his home. The party he never made it to was only one more mile away...

Read the complete story here.

After the jump, Globe columnist Kevin Dupont's piece goes far beyond what you might expect of such a story. 

Most compelling for me is Adam's parents' willingness to speak with such honesty from hearts breaking with grief: a gift to all who hear their plea to "keep a promise to Adam." We learn from tragedy in  proportion to our capacity to face it honestly.

When such tragedies occur, it's common for memorial "shrines" to be fashioned of candles, notes, stuffed animals and flowers at the site of the accident.  How much more powerful and lasting are the words of Adam's parents inviting young people to draw from their son's death a pledge for safe and responsible driving.

Please read the story and pass it on to any and all who might benefit from it, especially young people.

And please follow this link to the site where you can join others in keeping A Promise to Adam.


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