"Tragedy"s and Comedies

Chris and Yvonne

It was Friday, October 17, 1997. I was 14 and a Freshman in high school. At school that day, I had been invited to my friend Jeff’s birthday party at our friend Pat’s house in Peoria near State Line Road. I asked my Mom if I could go and she said, “only if Chris and Yvonne go.” My Mom said we needed to be home at midnight and we had arranged a sober driver to bring us all home.

Chris and Yvonne were in-between houses and currently staying at our house. They didn’t have anything to wear. I asked them and they said, “Fine! But, we need to borrow clothes!” So, I let my brother wear one of my low rider T-shirts and Yvonne borrowed one my shirts with a brand new flannel my Dad had just bought me on a back to school shopping trip. 

Before the party, we went to Nathan and Channena’s house and everyone played hackey sack and just hung while listening to some good 90’s tunes. It was  nice Fall day and we were waiting to head toward Peoria…

We went to the party and had the best time. We laughed so hard at so many things. Chris was carrying a lighter that had a naked lady on it and Yvonne referred to it as the “naked lady lighter.” We thought it was so funny. The whole night Chris kept calling me “Little Stock.” If you’re familiar with my brother he had a nickname for everyone and I had always been “Alby” or “Alby Stock.” I honestly don’t remember him ever calling me Allison…

I remember at one point he threw both his arms over mine and Deja’s shoulders and said “You two are like my little sisters!” I said, “I AM YOUR LITTLE SISTER!” We all doubled over in laughter! The party was more inside/outside because it was a tiny house in the woods. I remember seeing him and Yvonne slow dancing outside that night and how in love they were with one another. Deja and I would just watch them and we swooned. Love… 

Midnight was quickly approaching and it became apparent there wasn’t going to be enough room for all of us to get back to Miami. Chris and Yvonne were going to stay at the party so I could make curfew. Chris said, “I talked to Mom and she said you can stay until 3!” I called my Mom and she quickly confirmed he was full of it and I still needed to come home. He had the biggest grin on his face and thought it was so funny. I so badly wanted to stay… I think the last things I said to them were that I’d see them the following day and I told them not to forget to return my clothes! Because, at 14….”priorities”…

Saturday, October 18, 1997 at 4 am, my Mom woke me up. She was getting ready for work and said Nathan was there. He said Chris and Yvonne had taken his truck. We asked, “Chris?” Chris was never known to steal vehicles… Now, Matt would not have been a surprise. He was infamous for “borrowing” vehicles often. We hadn’t seen them or heard from them, but Nathan was certain they had taken his truck. I went back to bed confused and tired, but I remember thinking in my gut “I’m never going to see Chris again.” I shook it off because what a terrible thought!

A few hours later, my Mom awoke me. It was odd because she was supposed to be at work. As my bedroom door opened, I saw my Aunt, cousins, and other family in the living room. She said… “Chris and Yvonne were in an accident last night. They’re both gone.” I don’t know if I said any words. I don’t think I cried right away. I remember hearing the loudest silence of my life and feeling so confused… I immediately got up and got a cigarette I had stashed and lit it… They were “gone.” 

I could share what happened in the following hours and days as I remember them vividly, but I won’t continue. I do remember how the world around me seemed to be going on normally and I was thinking how is this possible? How is the world still operating normally when mine is falling apart?  It was the beginning of many tragedies I have endured in life, and it was hard. It is still hard.

I woke up today thinking 27 years…. 27 years is a long time. But, I also remember those details so vividly. I feel like I can’t remember their voices sometimes, but I see glimpses of them in my mind. I remember Yvonne walking out of my room and Chelsey saying, “Yvonne is so pretty!” And, Yvonne had her hair up in a ponytail and she looked over her shoulder because she had heard and she was just glowing. She was so beautiful! I see Chris and his HUGE smile. I see him dancing. He was a great dancer and he was so funny. Gosh, he could have been a comedian he was so funny! They have missed so much and they are missed so much! Life sure isn’t fair sometimes…

Christopher Lee Walters

10/02/73 • 10/18/97

Yvonne Michelle Bowers

02/09/78 • 10/18/1997