Farewell to a friend and a colleague.

---

On Tuesady we arrived at the yard to be told that one of our colleagues had been killed in a vehicle accident. Trevor was a strapping young man 26 years of age who drove, what is called the "Stack Tractor".

I knew very little about how this quiet gentle strapping young man met his death and really, for me, it's not important.

What is important, I believe, is that we remember him as we knew him and celebrate the man that we knew.

It's hard to describe the feeling amongst the truckers, the chopper drivers, the other stack tractor drivers and the support crew. I do know that the 2 way radios were auspiciously quiet compared to the usual morning banter that goes between Kiwi truckers and the Americans. I heard one of the Americans say to one of his colleagues "I don't really know what to talk about today" which I reckon was the best way of saying "I'm just sitting with my thoughts and memories of Trevor and his dad".

I also found it hard to reconcile waving to Trevor on Monday afternoon, talking to him throughout the day and 12 hours later he is no longer there. How fragile a life is.

While I was alone in my truck driving to the harvest site I found myself talking to God. Just talking to God about his dad, Jeff, and his family in their time of deep pain, confusion and grief.

I met Jeff & Trevor while we were all in El Reno harvesting wheat. Trevor was a "virgin" truck driver like Peter and I. We also hit the bridge with our trucks on the same day and managed to completely detroy one of our wheels on our trucks. We all stayed in the same motel for just over 2 weeks and saw a great deal of each other. Trevor lifted weights and kept himself in good shape. Funny thing was that no one else could lift the weights that he lifted in several repetitions at a time. We told lots of jokes and laughed about all sorts of mischief and drank a few beers as you do.

No words that I can find desribe the tragic loss of this young man who was just beginning to straighten a few things out for himself and gather some momentum in his life.

My prayers and thoughts go to Jeff, his wife and Trevor's siblings. Please know that we stand by you in our love for our fellow man. While we can not begin to know the depth of your loss or your pain, we are here for you in any way we can.

---