America celebrates 249 years of independence enshrined with both triumphs and tragedies. While our Nation sees so much political and ideological division, this time of year highlights our constant strengths and remembrances. While Trump kicked off America’s birthday by signing the partisan Big, Beautiful Bill Act and celebrated with incredible fireworks, tragedy lurked in Texas with the onset of flash flooding on the Guadalupe River. One too many young lives fell victim to this terrible incident…especially all the families of the deceased and those whose homes have been completely destroyed. This unimaginable tragedy reminds me of the destructive flooding that occurred in North Carolina last year, with very similar loss of life and property. That community is still trying to recover from the storm’s aftermath. I do wish that more attention would be given to AI predictive models and preventive practices to mitigate any further loss, instead of obsessive finger-pointing and blame (Biden could’ve done something, Trump cut staffing, Weather alerts failed). Nationally, what has changed since last year’s flash flood that the media could highlight? We’ve now had two different leaders in power, but it still seems like the same scrutiny and untimely recovery – what has changed? I digress.
About 15 years ago, I enjoyed a long, hot day of tubing and relaxing on the Guadalupe River with a few friends. The river was underwhelming shallow. I spent half the time brushing my bum against the rocks, pebbles, and grit of the river bed. With decent libations, festive music, and lots of laughter, the abrasions all over my body were numbed by the fun. My hands were sore the next day from constantly pulling and pushing off the river’s stones and grit. I cannot begin to fathom how this calm river could rise from 1 foot to over 30 feet in depth so quickly. The loss and destruction have been quite a lot to process. Since I’ve been in Texarkana, I have spoken fondly of my adventures floating on the Guadalupe River, boating on Lake Travis in Austin, and camping on the beach in the Gulf. Little fun Texan facts: my post-grad graduation was in Dallas; I stayed a weekend in George Michael’s mansion (but I never met the gracious host); I celebrated two New Year’s in Austin; I’ve visited the former compound of the Davidian occult in Waco; and I’ve experienced my first and only tornado in El Paso. Texas has been a special place in my adult life, so I am utterly saddened by this most recent tragedy.
Here at the prison, we had a major raid, which is commonly called a “shakedown.” At 5:25 am, the entire camp was escorted from their living quarters, patted down, passed through a metal detector, and escorted to a warehouse for a half day detainment. The near 8 hour raid meant that the housing unit was almost literally turned-upside-down in search of contraband. While my locker was barely touched, a first-edition electronic tablet that I purchased through the commissary store was trashed. My best guess is that the staff was not used to seeing this older tablet and assumed it was contraband. The entire process was rigorously long, especially since it occurred the day before the 4th of July weekend. This event threw off the daily routine of the prison, which is important to maintain balance and order. THEN, the Guadalupe River Tragedy followed on the 4th. THEN, a fellow inmate was found unresponsive and died a few cells from me. About my same age (47), Terrance “TC” Murphy died of an apparent heart attack in his sleep. He reportedly had his blood pressure checked the day before which was detrimentally high. Prior to going to bed, he approached the shift officer to report that he was having chest pains and experiencing discomfort from the high blood pressure. Supposedly, he was instructed to lay down, and seek medical attention in the morning. After being found unresponsive during a standard morning count, officers took immediate action in attempts to resuscitate him. For security purposes, the prison camp went into lockdown mode, where I was escorted to a holding area while the officers, medical staff, and local coroner could manage the emergent situation. The tone at the prison was somber, but nearly all the guys understood the gravity of having to be displaced while TC could be removed from the prison and his family notified. Since the incident happened in prison, it was very important that any crime or intended harm be ruled out as a possibility for a cause of death. It was a surreal ending to the holiday weekend for me!
On positive note, I am doing very well. Despite all the incidents that happened over the weekend, a wonderful holiday meal was served in celebration of America’s birthday: Pork sausage links, cheeseburgers, sweet baked beans, collard greens, and a pint of Little Debby’s Star-Crunch ice-cream. I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful weekend, full of laughter, fun, and new memories. I really appreciate you taking the time to check-in and see how I’ve been spending my time in prison. Please pray for those families impacted by the many national tragedies that seem to domino over these last few weeks, especially for those families recovering in Texas. Continue to be mindful of any little miracle in your daily life 🙂