We’re often reminded to take as many photos as we can of those we love while they’re still here. After all, the fickle, unpredictable, sometimes cruel, nature of life means that we never truly know how much time we have left with them.
That’s a sobering thought indeed, and perhaps not one to dwell on for too long on a Monday morning, but it nevertheless rings true.
These days photos and videos form the base from which we can remember our dearly departed, oftentimes helping us to grieve and reflect on the person we’ve lost: who they were, what they did, what made them… well, them.
One can only imagine how bittersweet the set of photos kept by the family of late teenager John DeReggi are then. Back in September, 2015 John was posing for pictures with his girlfriend and her twin sister when a heartbreaking turn of events claimed John’s life.
As per reports, the trio of 16-year-olds were engaging in a photography class project when they visited a set of railroad tracks in rural Maryland.
The idea of said project was to capture a set of inspirational photos in line with the theme ‘youth and the pathway yet to come’.
To that end John and his partner danced around on the empty rails while her twin sister snapped pictures.
Yet the trio realized too late that they were standing in the path of an Amtrak train speeding towards them at upwards of 70mph. The wind generated by the train pushed the sisters out of harm’s way, but John wasn’t so fortunate. Despite a desperate attempt to leaping from the tracks, John was crushed by the 200-ton locomotive.
John’s mom, Christine DeReggi, received word of her son’s death via his girlfriend, who witnessed the teenager die.
Speaking to ABC News at the time, Christine said: “He loved a thrill. He wasn’t reckless but he definitely loved adventure. He loved to laugh. He loved to be a little bit scared.”
Of her son’s girlfriend and her twin sister, Christine added: “They just escaped. I mean, it was almost a triple tragedy… they saw it and it happened so quick they almost got sucked in. That’s how close they were.
“The train apparently is much wider than the tracks and I don’t know how far he jumped to try and clear it but he didn’t clear it.”
She finished: “The moments before my son died are beautiful. He’s at peace and he’s happy. You can see it’s just them doing a sweet project together.”
Rest in peace, John DeReggi.
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