Daylight

Without a doubt in my mind, Carly Ferro was one of the sweetest, nicest, and most genuinely beautiful people I have ever met in my life. On September 26, 2012 she passed away unexpectedly. With her passing, a piece of everyone in our senior class of 2013 left with her.

Senior Year Begins

I already had a feeling that with this year was going to come with challenges. I did not expect to be put through what has already happened, though. I was very thankful to be accepted back into Video Production at Stafford as a second year because video has consumed my life since I first learned about it. Everyday thats nice out, it’s almost a guarantee that I will have a camera in my hands because it captures the beauty in life that your eyes are already lucky enough to witness. But, to be able to capture that on a film strip and be able to turn that into an artform that I can share with other people is the best feeling I have found in my life so far.





The last wave through the daylight

The sun was shining and I was excited for the school day to get over with. Math class was first and by far the longest feeling. It ended on the dot, as usual, and the hallways flooded with kids, eager to get moving. As I walked out of the classroom, I turn and see Carly standing there in the hallway, waiting to get into her next class. She waved to me, and I smiled as usual and said hey, unbeknownst to the fact that would be the last time I got to say my hello’s to her, with no chance for goodbyes.

Class Dismissed

The rest of the school day seemed to drag on for awhile and then finally ended. I flew out of my last class and went straight to my locker to grab my camera. I had planned to film a skateboarding video with my friends Dakota and Nikki. So, we set off on the road. The sun was still out and it felt so nice. The sun gives the day a happier feel to it. The warmth of the rays was something special that day.

“Cause in the Daylight anywhere feels like home”

While Nikki drove, I just peered out the window with a big smile on my face, thinking about how great this day was going to be. The world was a big open playground calling my name to film it, present it, and share it with the rest of the eyes in this universe. I was so stoked for what the day held for us. We drove all around Rutland, stopping where we wished to pop a few ollies, get some good shots. Nothing could stop us. We listened to the song Daylight by Matt and Kim in the car because everyone knows that song always makes me happy, no matter what happens in life. That song can always clear out my head, lift the weight of the world off my shoulders, and let me smile even if its just for a minute or two. That song always meant a lot, but, after that day, it meant a lot more.

The Breakdown

Nikki goes to Otter Valley High School and had grown up in the town of Brandon. I had never really gotten a chance to do anything besides pass through Brandon on my way to Burlington. So, Nikki had suggested we go film there. I took it as a perfect chance for a sick adventure of exploration with two of my best friends. We hit the road again, laughs and smiles filled up the car. We were passing Mike’s Hobbies when the car started to break down. We pulled over and saw the exhaust system hanging by a thread of duct tape. Needless to say, the road trip was paused for an about hour or so. Dakota and I took it upon ourselves to wander around that mini plaza and skate. While filming next to the road, Dakota had noticed and pointed out Carly’s dad driving past us. At the time, we had no idea what was really happening and neither did he.










To B-Town We Go!
As the clock passed, Nikki’s grandfather showed up as our hero and fixed the problem. Off to Brandon, again. Once we arrived, we just went straight to streets. Brandon was a town that neither Dakota nor myself had known very well, but, there was a mutual feeling between us all that for the night that town was ours. We skated, we fell, we got back up and laughed it off. The flower’s colors were the brightest that day, even as the sun began to depart. The night time welcomed us in with warm weather and a timeless feeling. I had never felt so care free before. So oblivious to the things happening in the world around us. It was a day of peaceful ignorance.

“Step Back and Here Comes The Night Time”
We filmed all through the day and all through the night until the camera could only see our blacked out silhouettes. Later on, we all retreated back to our homes to learn of the news. Everything was silent for hours, nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong. At midnight exactly, I got a text from my friend who went to a different school. The text read “Hey, someone died from your school I heard?”. I asked who. “Carly Ferro”. “No, you’re wrong”. You’re so wrong. But they weren’t. It was wrong. But she wasn’t. It was Carly and I was in shock. She apologized over and over because she didn’t want me to find out that way. “I just saw her today..” I kept saying. My heart froze, emotions halted, and life itself had stopped. I couldn’t believe it. Immediately I had went onto facebook to see if this was truly happening. I opened up to a page full of people saying their goodbyes as if it had happened weeks ago, already conditioned to the tragedy. Time was nonexistent.

“Fall Through Like Change In The Daylight”
I dreaded the next day, knowing there was no avoiding facing the facts. The hallways were flooded with miserable faces and dripping tears. Math class with Mrs. Haskel was my first challenge. She knew Carly very well and even she couldn’t hold back the sadness. None of us could. As soon as she spoke to the class, I couldn’t hold it in. It was killing me inside knowing someone so beautiful, so happy, and so full of life could just be taken away so fast, so unexpected. Then I learned what actually happened. It wasn’t a drunk driver, it was some guy huffing whippets that lost control, racing someone down Cleveland Avenue. When Dakota and I had saw Carly’s dad drive past us, he was leaving to pick up Carly from work.. on that same Cleveland avenue from the Discount Food Store. The car hit the building the same second she was walking to her dad’s car. I can’t imagine the pain she had to feel, but, I know that if it was possible, I’d feel it for her. I’d take it all away because Carly didn’t deserve something so horrible. No one does, but especially not Carly. Of all people in this world, she deserved nothing like that. Carly deserved the best because thats what she gave the world; her best.

Film Strips of Time Standing Still

That entire day, I cried. Eventually my eyes ran dry and my body went numb. I had to do something for her. I went into the studio of my Video Production Program at stafford and began light writing. I took my footage from the day before, edited it, and that later day posted on youtube a Celebration of life Video for Carly and everyone who knew and loved her. The views on the video quickly rose that night and even more so as the days went by. I posted it for myself, more than anything. It made me feel better about the whole situation. I had the time of my life on that tragic day and I know there is a reason for that. At first I felt bad, knowing that while something so horrible was happening, I was having fun. Later on I realized that the reason I had fun that day was because Carly was with us. She was there, watching, knowing that we were going to have to cry and mourn the next day. I think she wanted us to feel happiest before we knew we were going to be sad. Carly’s life may have passed, but, her spirit was there with me that whole day. She kept the sun shining, the camera rolling, and the smilings coming.

That Newspaper
For weeks, I did nothing. I couldn’t sleep much, I couldn’t eat much. The school was a wreck. The kids were a mess. We were all so miserable. Then, I had seen the sun shining just like that day. I decided to give a shot, “lets film today” I said to Dakota. After school that day, we walked all around Rutland. We cruised over through the fairgrounds and the surrounding neighborhoods. We ended up in the old Hannaford’s parking lot. A big open, empty lot for us to wreak havoc. We had just as much fun as the last time we had filmed. For a minute, we forgot our sadness. Again, Carly had brightened up our days and warmed our hearts. The most ironic part of it all was the last shot we filmed. I was trailing behind Dakota as he went to Ollie over a newspaper left in the parking lot. The only shred of newspaper around us. It was face up, undamaged, and had Carly on the front page. We both paused out of shock. We said nothing for a few minutes and just looked up. We knew she was there. We knew that was some sort of sign. It had rained the night before so the page was soaked but none of the ink ran. I grabbed it, saved it, and hung it up on my wall after it had dried. I will keep that newspaper for the rest of my life because I know I was meant to.

Purple
Everyday I drive to school, I see the purple ribbons people put up around town for Carly. It brightens up my day everytime I spot one. Knowing that she’s still with us, in some form, in some way, makes us all feel a little better inside. I know that the entire Senior Class of 2013 loves and misses Carly very much. We would do anything to bring her back, but, we know thats not an option. In her honor, we will continue to live our lives with the lessons she taught us, simply by being herself. Carly taught me how to smile, even when the day isn’t going as you planned. Carly taught me how to laugh, even if you’re the only one who thinks it’s funny. Carly taught us all how to live life to the absolute fullest, taking everyday as another opportunity to be happier than the day before. I wish, we all wish, that we could have the chance to see Carly grow up and do incredible things in this world like we all know she was going to. But, despite the tears that may fall, the world has already become a better place, having known someone so great. RIP Carly, we all miss you.