It has been one week. 168 hours. However, it feels like months have passed. I have ignored writing this blog entry in fear that once the words were written, this situation would actually become a reality. 10,830 people die every year due to a drunk-driving related crash. That’s approximately one every fifty minutes. One of those 10,830 people was one of my very best friends, Luke Urbanovsky. We lost him on June 16, 2012 at 2:45 am due to a drunk-driving related crash in his hometown of Granbury, TX. One moment changed everything. Luke and I met the first week of my freshman year of college and I instantly knew this kid was one of a kind. He was witty, outspoken, loud, and rather attractive. Within a few weeks at Texas A&M, we were both selected to be members of MSC FISH and our friendship continued to grow. We always walked to the meetings together and we both placed onto the Kyle Field Day committee. He was constantly telling me crazy stories and never failed to make me laugh. Through service projects, Halloween festivities, meals on campus, football games, Tri-Delta date parties… We truly experienced our freshman year together. Luke was a selfless leader and always the life of the party. It was impossible not to love Luke. He constantly brought a smile to people’s face and united MSC FISH in a unique way. I can vividly remember Luke as one of my powder puff coaches. He was always yelling at me to catch the passes, run faster, or quit making my infamous “whale” sounds. When I surprisingly caught the final interception of the game, he was the first person congratulating and hugging me. He was such a proud coach. I still picture him riding from class to class on his longboard with his neon yellow FISH hat on and always stopping to talk about random things no matter where he ran into you. He could tell stories for a solid five minutes without a single interruption. I loved listening to his stories. Within the KFD Committee, we were both placed onto the same sub-committee Marketing and Merchandise. These meetings were always on Sunday nights and he was the only reason they were somewhat enjoyable. He never did any work as we sat in that little corner, but he always made me laugh. And he always made fun of my overly organized planner. Although I have a million great memories with Luke, my favorite was taking him to Ranch Party last December. He came as my date and neither of us knew how to two-step very well. He borrowed a pair of boots from a friend and wore the matching plaid shirt that I bought for him. Although he was definitely out of his element, he took my hand and walked me to an open grassy area. We made up our own version of country-western dancing and it was one of the most fun nights of my freshman year of college. Luke lived in the moment and embraced each and every second of his short life. Luke was one of my very best guy friends, but I am sure several people would say that about him. When he walked into the room, he instantly made everyone feel comfortable and welcome. Luke had a genuine heart and a sincere love for helping other people. I’ll miss his perfect smile and the way he would jump up and down out of excitement to see you. When the second semester started, he began dating one of my best friends, Charley Taggart. Charley is one of the most beautiful people that I know—inside and out. They were perfect for each other and I was sure that I would attend their wedding one day. Their love for each other and for life inspired me constantly. Although Luke’s life was taken unexpectedly, he embraced a love with Charley that many people live 80 years without ever finding. Luke may have entered college as a crazy punk kid from Granbury, TX, but he grew up more in the past year than anyone would ever believe. Luke began attending Breakaway Ministries with Charley on Tuesday nights and accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. We would have never expected that a young man so full of life would die at such a young age. It was reported that “Luke Urbanovsky was the passenger in a single vehicle accident and died instantly at the scene. The driver, Marcus Click, is currently in ICU at the local hospital. Both were on their way home after attending a party where the home owners were not present and alcohol was involved.” Last Saturday morning, I received the phone call that brought me to my knees. Life since then has been confusing and nothing has made sense. We are all grieving and our FISH family has become closer than ever. We attended a candle light vigil on Saturday evening at his high school in Granbury. We cried and cried and held each other. Together, we sang the spirit of Aggieland with our candles lit. That song and our Aggie spirit now have a new meaning. This past week we attended the funeral services and visited his grave site. It still feels so serial. Each Aggie placed a flower on his casket and hugged the members of his family. We are all hurting—especially Charley. She lost her best friend and her soul mate. There are no comforting words and there is nothing that can take away the pain in our hearts. Luke’s life was changed at A&M this year, but in reality he changed my life and many others lives as well. God has a perfect plan and although I am struggling greatly to see the light through this inevitable darkness, Luke Urbanovsky’s life and legacy will live on forever. I know he's in the arms of Jesus Christ and I can't wait to see him again in heaven. One day the memories of you will make us laugh and not cry. But until then, please look after us Luke. We need you. Charley needs you. We miss you today and we will every single day.
"On a scale of 1 to 10... I'll see you guys tomorrow."
