"Loved, Missed, but NEVER Forgotten"

Member: Mindi Nevils
Pennsylvania, USA



~~In Loving Memory of~~
Michael Lee Nevils (23)
7/24/77 - 5/23/01

Michael,
I Love You and Miss You so much.
A part of me died on May 23rd. with you

I know that you are with God now,
and at peace!

You will be in my heart forever!  
Love,
Mom

You were beautiful and sensitive and cared too much
You had a wild sense humor and very soft touch
The thing we miss most us just having you here
Nat our hearts are broken you’re in every tear

Love to our angel

Mommy, Jay, Jerome, Ging

(February 6, 1985 - September 21, 2001)

Richard was a Junior at Scott County High School, in Georgetown Kentucky. His story is told by his mother, Audrey Williamson and is presented here as "a memorial for him in honor of the young teens that go through peer pressure and whatever else causes a child to do such a horrific thing." If you are depressed and have a lot of pain inside, speak to a trusted adult. If not your parents, then talk to a teacher, clergyperson or some other person whom you trust. There is help available and they will help you to get it. "Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem." While it sounds like a cliché it's true. There is always help to lessen your pain but your death will cause your friends and family pain for the rest of their lives.

We never thought it would happen to us. I came home from work around 11:45 p.m. I work second shift. My husband was asleep and so was my son. The dog was barking. My husband noticed lights in our back yard. It woke him up not knowing that the police were trying to get in. I was parked on top of the hill not knowing it was my house all the ruckus was at. The police were told only my son was home. I believe god plugged both my husband and my son's ears, for they heard nothing. The neighbors did however. I asked the police what was going on and they said down the street there was a problem. I explained my house was the third on on the right. I'm sure at that time he didn't know what to say, except that they had to wait for clearance from the police because a weapon was used.

When they got the clearance I proceeded behind them and they stopped not even 100 yards from that point. I saw six policemen going in and out of my house. My husband was on his way to find out what was going on when they threw him to the ground assuming that he had shot my son Richard. He was so confused just waking up. Then my other son Brad approached the front and was also questioned. I was panic stricken when I was escorted into an ambulance for about one hour. I was told nothing. My husband was told nothing. He was sitting in a chair out front in his britches. Finally the coroner has come up and said who he was. I freaked. He said your son Richard (his wallet and cell phone were on him), apparently died from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the head. I was in disbelief. We know there was strain between his girlfriend, and the loss by force of a baby. But no one ever knew how much pain my son was feeling until we found a poem entitled "My Life As It Is".

I started to cry. We are still in disbelief. This is for all the teens who feel helpless out there. My son was popular and couldn't believe the attention this drew to every parent. The overwhelming response of sympathy was unreal. I just wish he knew how much everyone loved him and would have been able to help him prior to taking his own life.

The following is Richard's last known poem prior to suicide regarding the forced termination of his girlfriend's pregnancy: