By Dr. Paul V. Murphy and Marcia A. Leous
Graduation season is just around the corner, a time to reflect on the past and look to the future. Our son, Daniel P. Murphy, would have graduated from St. Ignatius High School this June. This is an opportune moment to clarify some matters concerning Daniel’s death and ATV safety issues, reflect on his legacy, and offer thanks to the St. Ignatius community.
In an earlier issue of The Eye, Michael Dobscha’14, published a thoughtful and timely column on ATV safety. The school had experienced another crash involving an ATV. St. Ignatius High School is not immune to the epidemic of ATV-related injuries nationwide. Daniel was one of an estimated 781 individuals who died in ATV-related incidents in 2009. Nearly 132,000 received emergency room treatment for such incidents. This community should be particularly conscious of the need for greater safety. Mr. Dobscha argues for increased education and the use of proper safety equipment to reduce risk.
Is that enough? Stephen M. Bowman and Mary E. Aitken of the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health have researched ATV-related pediatric hospitalizations. They found that 4,039 children under 16 were hospitalized in 2006 in such incidents and that the rate of such hospitalization had increased by 150% since 1997. They further state:
ATVs are inherently dangerous to children because of the factors, such as large engines, heavy vehicle weight, and poor stability, due to high centers of gravity and the use of low pressure, floatation tires. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Surgeons advocate for limiting ATV operators to people aged 16 years and older. Manufacturers specifically label full-sized vehicles as inappropriate for children and adolescents younger than 16 years as well. Clearly, from this study of hospitalizations, a significant segment of the population is either unaware of these recommendations or has chosen to ignore them. (“Still Unsafe, Still in Use: Ongoing Epidemic of All-Terrain Vehicle Injury Hospitalizations Among Children,” Journal of Trauma, December 2010, vol. 69, no. 6, 1344-1349)
This indicates that something more than voluntary education programs is required. Bowman and Aitken call for a renewed consent decree between the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the ATV industry to reduce the use of these machines by children. We could not agree more.
Bowman and Aitken’s research also challenges observations we have heard from some, both young and old, on the crash that took Daniel’s life. Some have attributed the tragic event to the belief that “boys will be boys.” Others have offered the fatalistic observation that “accidents happen.” These interpretations mistakenly imply that somehow the boys involved in the incident – both Daniel and the survivors – were responsible. This would be an unjust and cruel burden to place on them. The St. Ignatius community deserves a better explanation.
Bowman and Aitken’s observation that some were “unaware of these recommendations” on limiting ATV use to those over 16 or “chose to ignore them” seems to apply in this case. At the time of his death, Daniel was not yet old enough to obtain a temporary permit to learn to drive an automobile in Ohio. He had never before seen, let alone operated, an ATV. The full-size ATV involved in the crash had been labeled by the manufacturer with a warning that it not be used by those under 16. ATVs should be treated like loaded weapons. They should be secured and locked away so that no more underage and untrained users lose their lives unnecessarily.
Our son’s memory is as dear to us as anything in our life. Part of our duty as parents is to preserve his reputation. Those who explain the crash by saying that “boys will be boys” or that “accidents happen” damage his reputation and fail to recognize the full scope of the tragedy: that it was entirely unnecessary that Daniel die on September 19, 2009 in Solon, Ohio. The crash does not seem very accidental to us. We are members of a Jesuit school community that is dedicated to building, in the words of the 32nd General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, “a world that is at once more human and more divine.” We have placed ourselves under a special obligation to build a society that does better for each other than what we witness today regarding ATVs.
Daniel’s legacy is not limited, thank God, to the manner of his death. The love that so many clearly had for him is a testament to the value of his short life and a consolation to his family. Daniel lives not only with the Lord but in the hearts and minds of his family, friends, and classmates. He remains a presence at St. Ignatius High School. We are confident that he acts now as a special patron of this school. Someone asked us recently if, during the time he was here, there was anything we wish we could have done with him that we did not get a chance to do. We responded by saying that in this we are blessed. We had no unfinished business. He lived his life as fully in the time allotted to him as anyone could. We only wish that we had had more days together, more opportunities to say to each other “I love you.” It would be a great legacy of Daniel’s if in his honor we committed ourselves to taking care of the unfinished business of our relationships with others and showed our love, in word and deed, to those whom God has placed in our lives.
Finally, we want to thank the students, faculty, administration, and Jesuit community of St. Ignatius High School for the support and prayers they have offered to our family. The St. Ignatius Crew Team, Coach Matt Previts, Coach Pat Connor, team managers Chris Pyrtko and Dave Barni, and the whole Wildcat Navy have supported us in ways that exceed our ability to acknowledge. All of those who have participated in the “Run for Murph,” to raise scholarship funds for this school that Daniel loved so much, have our deepest gratitude. Be assured of our continued thanks and prayers. We recognize the St. Ignatius Class of 2012 in a special way. You have been through a challenging and formative period in your lives. Few high school seniors have known so much grief and so much joy in such a short period of time. Each one of you, no doubt, is somewhat older than your years. As you prepare for the next stage in your life, we pose to you the same question that an old Jesuit English professor customarily posed to his students on the final day of every semester, “Now how do you live with what you know?” We offer you our thanks and support. You, like Daniel, are Ignatius men forever. Congratulations and Godspeed.
