Photo: Jennifer Neville-Lake / Facebook
Jennifer lost her three children in a car accident. So she takes a touching farewell
It is so cruel. The three children we see here are dead. They died in a terrible accident. Her mother says goodbye with a moving video.
Never, never should, parents have to carry their own child to the grave. Jennifer Neville-Lake and her husband Ed even have to bury all three of their children.
9-year-old Daniel, 5-year-old Harry and 2-year-old Milly are killed in a car accident. They were in the car with their grandfather, their grandmother, Jennifer's parents, and their great-grandmother when a drunk man crashed into the car. All three children and Jennifer's father die. Jennifer loses in one fell swoop because some idiot once again overestimated herself, half her family.
Jennifer does not know what else to do. She goes with her grief on Facebook, sharing her thoughts with her friends near and far. She gets a lot of comfort and encouragement.
On the day of her family's funeral, she posts this video. You can see her children trying to do a dance for their parents' wedding day.
The video is so touching, so heartbreaking, just because it is so wonderfully imperfect! Daniel tries to get his siblings to dance, but Harrison and Milly fool around. There is no cheesy music in the background to press on the lacrimal glands. It's a perfectly normal everyday scene - and it's beautiful.
Today is the day we bury my family. Who's the "patriarch" of my family? Ed's and my hopes for the future, our legacy and our dreams. Ed and I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary. But our day was supposed to have started and it came across the video that shows it. Just over 2 months ago our children started rehearsing a dance that they were going to perform on Friday. Oct 2 in the morning - our 10th wedding anniversary. Our life as a family was "picture perfect" but it was ours and it was our paradise. I came across this song called "Just Another Day In Paradise" and the kids wanted to dance to it. Every night at dinner we would pray and I would always ask for another day. Here's the only rehearsal I have the personalities of each of them. If you knew Harry please take note of far he had come by seeing how he dances and twirls. Milly giggles throughout my beautiful boy Daniel directs his brother and sister. You can hear the exasperation in his voice when they do not always follow his direction and how lovingly he helps to guide them. It's easy to make it easy to wear it if you want it. This was also the day he was able to do his job. Thank you for watching my children. All your love and prayers are always appreciated. God bless. Love, Jenn and Ed
Posted by Jennifer Neville-Lake on Saturday, October 17, 2015
Jennifer writes:
"Today is the day we bury my family, Ed's and my hope for the future, our legacy and our dreams will be forever in a grave, along with my dad, who was the 'head' of the family.
Ed and I spent our 10th wedding anniversary staring at the coffins that contained our broken, stolen dreams.
But our wedding day should have started differently and I stumbled across the video, which shows how it should have been. Two months ago, our children began practicing a dance that they would have performed for us on Friday morning, October 2, on our wedding day. Our life as a family was far from being a 'picture-perfect' life, but it was our life and it was our paradise. I also found the song 'Just Another Day In Paradise' and the kids wanted to dance to it. Every night at dinner we would pray and I would always ask to spend another day with my loved ones.
This is the only rehearsal I've recorded, but it shows the personalities of each and every one of my children. If you had known Harry, you would notice how far he has evolved as he dances and whirls around. Milly chuckles all the time while my lovely Daniel conducts his brother and sister. You can hear the despair in his voice if you do not always follow his direction, and you can see how lovingly he leads her.
You'll notice that Harry wears a dress - the truth is that it was easier for him to become independent when wearing a dress instead of pants. This was also the day he first successfully succesfully put his socks on and off.
Thank you for looking at my children. We thank you for all your love and prayers. God bless you.
In love, Jen and Ed "
The 29-year-old accident cause is currently in custody awaiting trial. But Jennifer told CBS that she just did not really think about him. "No matter what happens, I have no family anymore, the children were our future ... they are not here anymore."
