The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXI

Devyn Costa
Kate Lynch, Teacher
Roosevelt Middle School, New Bedford, MA
Courage is the feeling of bravery deep within. Sometimes, courage has to be
used to get through times no one can explain. Times that might not be shown
physically, but mentally. Courage is the opposite of fear and is used to combat
fear; although, it’s not easy to not fear things.
My dad was a part of my life for a long time. We did everything together. We
danced along to the country music he put on the speaker. I’d help him cook
on Sunday, where my family would all sit around the table and talk. I would
run errands with him, and we would always joke and laugh. I would also ride
in his work van. Music would be blasted from the radio, and sometimes he
would sing along. I remember going to his job sites too. He was a carpenter,
so whenever he came home, I would treat his little wounds with soapy water
and a band-aid, hoping that made him feel better. Sometimes, we’d talk about
what the future might be. He wasn’t what everyone thought was perfect, but
that didn’t matter. Sometimes I wondered what I would do without him. I
didn’t want to, but I never thought he would leave.
He was never in a great, healthy condition and sometimes he would be sick, or
super tired. I would worry, but he would always tell me, “I’m okay.” He always
had bumps, bruises and scars everywhere. That didn’t matter to him though.
He would do what he had to do. He could replace a window quickly. He was
very strong. He would pick me or my brother up and turn us upside down,
so that we would laugh. He once told me a story about when he was working,
and a wall wasn’t stable enough, so then it fell on him. I thought that it was
amazing that he got up again. He had plates in his legs from that incident, so
sometimes the plates would cause him pain whenever it rained. I thought it
was like a superpower he had, being able to tell when it’s going to rain. He was
special and different.
When COVID-19 hit, he was different but not in a good way. I could see that
he tried to be happy, but something was bothering him. He was sick all the
time, and he never went to the doctor. So of course, I worried. My mom and I
always told him that he should go to the doctor, but he said he was fine. I knew
he wasn’t, but it was hard to convince him to do something he didn’t want to.
Eventually, I gave up and started to feel upset more often. I didn’t like what
happened during quarantine. It was upsetting and boring. He had little work,
so that meant he stayed at home with us. But I could see how ill he was.
“I felt emotions I’ve
never felt before.
It was almost like
the situation woke
me up to what
reality really is.”
On March 24th, it was his birthday! I decorated and threw a little party for
him. I didn’t really know what to add, except food, drawings and decorations.
I was so excited for him to come home and to see what I did for him. I
remember coloring a lion because lions were his favorite animal. It was such a
happy moment when he got home and saw everything. I put on country music
because he loved it. It was a small party because we didn’t invite anyone, but
it was a family party, that’s what mattered. Later that night though, he started
to act unusual. All I remember is him sitting in the hallway and screaming. I
was so scared! I tried snapping him out of it, but I didn’t know how. I was only
ten years old without any experience of dealing with difficult situations. He
eventually went to sleep. He had to be picked up by the ambulance. He passed
away at the hospital. I felt uneasy after his death.
My mom was really attached to him. They were perfect together. She was
upset, and she would cry sometimes. She took some drugs to bear with the
sadness of my dad’s death. I wish that she didn’t. I noticed that she’d been in
her room for more than an hour. I went to check on her, and she was passed
out on the floor. I tried waking her up, I called one of my sisters for advice too.
My older brother even tried waking her up. But nothing worked. My oldest
sister had to come to our house with her girlfriend so that mom could get in
the ambulance. I had to pack some of my things and leave.
I felt emotions I’ve never felt before. It was almost like the situation woke
me up to what reality really is. I had never truly known what could happen
in a person’s life until I experienced it. It was an upsetting experience, an
experience I never want to go through ever again. I did save her life, though,
and to be honest, it was only a matter of luck that I had done what I did.
The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond
Volume XXXI
92 93