What a sad story, and what a brave little girl! I so wish the story had had a different twist, like mine: "Because he was wearing his helmet, my husband, my kids' father (and so on and so on) is still with us." I try telling that one to my students when classes begin every year, because I get so frightened and angry when I drive to campus through swarms of cyclists, ignoring traffic rules and NOT wearing helmets. Sadly, that message is probably less effective than this little girl's.

I sure do hope that your message, now also endorsed and tragically underscored by your son's classmate, gets taken to heart. I hope all the kids take that message home and nag at their parents to wear helmets too. My theory: It was kids nagging their parents that has tipped the scales on smoking so that non-smoking spaces are now the standard and smokers, if they can't or don't want to kick the habit, have to find somewhere to smoke where it won't bother or endanger others.