Only the Good Die Young

Alexander Conlon

Alexander Conlon was your typical standout freshmen. He was gorgeous, popular, hung out with the older crowd, had a loving mother, was an amazing football player, and had a beautiful girlfriend. Alex had everything going for him. He lived in Fort Lee, New Jersey and attended Fort Lee High School. He was only 15, born on February 9, 1992, however he lied to all his friends and said he was 16. He may only have been 15 but he lived like a 20 year old. Alex loved life and always put a smile on everybody's face.

Alex's best friend had recently turned 18 and him and his close friends planned a surprise birthday party. They rented a limo to bring them into the city and were looking forward to an exciting night. The birthday boy had no idea what was coming, which made the event even more exciting. The date was set and the reservations were made for our adventure out into the city. We would be in the city by 9 P.M on July 3, 2007.

We were all gathered around the limo waiting for seven people to get there so we could leave. It was getting late. I called my friend and he said they were all on their way. A few minutes later another friend of mine who I was with got a phone call. He had a look of bewilderment on his face, came over, got another one of the boys and started running. We yelled after them, what happened, and he responded, they got in a car accident.

We got in the car and followed the boys. It didnt take us very long to find our friends. It was a crime scene like I've never seen before. We got out of the car and ran. I saw the bottom of a car that looked like it had rolled onto its side whip around a pole. I asked the cops around, where are my friends, what's going on, they called us and said there was an accident. The cop looked at me, then at the car and said, your friends were in the car (the car that was flipped on its side).

I collapsed, screaming, crying, shocked. I watched as the fire fighters and police took my friends out of the car and placed them on stretchers. I felt my heart breaking inside my body. They took the driver of the car out and he had no shoes on. He was always in control of things and I couldn't comprehend seeing him laid out on a stretcher being rushed into an ambulance. Another one of my good friends was bleeding profusely from his face. I couldn't bear to look at him. He was the first to rush off to the hospital. I went up to a police officer and said, is everyone out, are they going to be okay? and the police officer responded by telling me that there was still somebody stuck in the vehicle.

I watched as the fire fighters took out their saw and began to tear away at the metal that used to be a Nissan Murano. Finally, they pulled Alex out. They put him on a stretcher and I watched as he was rolled to an ambulance in front of me. They said he was the most critically injured. I asked the cop, is he going to be okay, you got him out, he has to be fine, and the cop said there was a 50/50 chance.

We all rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center Trauma Center and by the time I got there Alexander Conlon was pronounced dead. At 9:30 P.M on July 3, 2007, one of my closest friends lost his life.

After an investigation was done, we were told that there was an open bottle of liquor that was half-full found in the vehicle. There was also alcohol and numerous drugs found in the blood system of the driver. There was a large piece of wood that punctured Alex's brain that ultimately killed him. The wood got into his head because the driver lost control of the vehicle, swerved into a wooden fence and flipped the car over. The car was on it's side and it kept moving until it hit a wooden pole across the streeet.

The life of Alex Conlon can never be replaced. It's a pity how instantaneously life can be taken away, however, this is a good lesson for the youth of America to be more cautious. Don't drink and drive, don't get in a car with someone who has been drinking and driving and make good decisions. I love you Alex, and I hope your soul is resting in heaven, where it belongs.