Right now, my heart is unbelievably heavy.

Every once in a while, I will watch the local news. I prefer to watch something a little more engaging like a politically-focused show, simply because it doesn’t take much brain power to say damn every five minutes as the local newscasters discuss another murder or robbery.

Tonight, I jumped in the shower and left Family Guy on… only to jump out and see the nightly news on. OK, no big deal… until I hear, “the students’ teacher, Gerald Oliphant…” and rushed out - poorly dressed - to my TV to see what the hell was going on.

Unfortunately, this was going on:

Seven high school students are being hospitalized and their teacher is dead after a fatal accident early Sunday morning on the Florida Turnpike.

According to Florida Highway and Patrol, at around 6 a.m., a Chevy Suburban driving south on the turnpike near Coconut Creek Parkway overturned several times, ejecting several occupants.

Family and friends said 27-year-old Gerald Oliphant was driving his students back to South Florida from a senior trip to Orlando’s Universal Studios.

Now, Gerald is a friend of mine… a wonderful person with a huge heart and a strong connection to his community. A big smile, a loving heart, and a warm personality that I don’t find too often in men these days. That type of positivity where clearly nothing is going to ruin your day because YOU say so? Yeah, he had that going on. You’d stick around him simply in hopes that it’d rub off on you.

As I type this, I feel myself starting to cry… just because I know how the world could stand to use so many more people like him, and to lose one more is damaging to not only his family, but his world… ’cause you just KNEW he was set out to change it. They always say that bad things always manage to find their way to good people, and although I hate clichés, damn if this isn’t true.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how one person can leave such drastic impressions on us as individuals as well as the collective “us” in regards to history. When you think about the history we learn in our classes, the subjects are usually headlined by one major individual. Lincoln, King, Kennedy, on, on, and on… the influence of one man, we learn as early as grade school, can be a powerful thing. Positive and negative. The passing of my friend has only illuminated this for me so much more, because as involved as we both were in our department and on the yard in my early college years, I can not think of a single negative thing about this man. When I think of my first year on campus, I cannot help but think of him. How he was so sweet to me with his big hugs and his cheerful words, how me and some of the other music majors would sit outside of the building playing the dozens, and he’d walk past and say “Hey… I’m not trying to mess with y’all so I’ma just keep on walkin’,” and how when I became an AKA to his Alpha… he greeted me and reminded me why it was so wonderful to have that new bond that we finally shared. It may sound trivial, but as I said earlier - the influence of one man can be a powerful thing… be on history or on me, the individual.

I’m the type who believes that a lesson can be learned in everything. The loss of Gerald has reminded me of a few things that I always manage to overlook. To love those - in the present - who influence you to be better, do better, and live better. To love them today, because tomorrow is too late regardless of whether or not tomorrow comes. To live in a manner that strives to help you leave your mark on the world.

Lastly, to always be cognizant of your influence upon others. Understand your position in their lives, and know that while you may be living for you, everything you do affects another human being. Don’t take your life for granted, don’t take for granted the people you love, and don’t take for granted the position those people give you in their lives. Many blessings to his family, and may he rest in peace. If I know anything, he is quite satisfied listening to all the sounds of the dopest band in the land up there.