David Louis Poenicke
March 7, 1965 - June 27, 1984
By Gail Rehme
I was ten-years-old the last time I saw my brother. David and his girlfriend headed
downtown on Dave's motorcycle to a St. Louis Cardinal baseball game. After the game
they stopped to grab a bite to eat and headed home. When they got on the highway
they noticed the drinks were spilling on the seat. They pulled over on the shoulder...and that is when it happened. A man that had also been at the baseball game and
had way too much to drink hit and killed my brother David, never to come home again.
This one day changed my life forever.
I remember waking up in the night scared when I saw the Pastor from our church sitting
with my parents in our living room. I can remember waking up the next morning to
the sound of my father's voice saying get up and come sit down here on the floor
beside me. My brother Gary and I shared a room and when we both sat at my father's
side my dad said, "last night there was an accident and your brother David was killed
by a drunk driver." The words still ring in my head. Why? In my ten-year-old mind
I could not figure out why someone would take my brother from me. He was only 19
years old, I can remember thinking only old people die. So, he will never be able
to take me to my softball games anymore...what about the glove he bought me? He
wouldn't be able to see me use it. I can remember all of the people at my brother's
funeral and a bunch of "big people" asking me if I was okay.
I can remember asking my mom why she was cleaning out my brother's drawers after
the funeral. Our family was planning to travel to my cousin's wedding in Tennessee
before my brother's death and her reply was "because when we get back home, he will
not be here." Our family relied on faith to get us through this tough time. Knowing
that our time on earth with David was done felt horrible, but knowing that we would
see him again in heaven was huge. My parents were crushed, but remained strong for
the other five of us. There were many times I remember my mom sitting out in the
car when everyone else came in just to be alone.
I remember hearing my mom cry in the bathroom. As I got older I became bitter and
angry. I remember how I just kept thinking this is not fair. It was in Junior High
and High School when I first started to really take a stand as an advocate against
drunk driving. I was the President for SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) in
Junior High. I was a member of SADD in High School and chosen by my teacher to be
a DARE Representative. I went to elementary school to tell children about what happened
to my brother when I was ten-years old.
I graduated and my brothers and sisters were at my graduation, but not David. I
married a man that loves the Cardinals just as much as my brother did, but never
got to go to a game with him. My brothers, sisters and all of my husband's seven
siblings were in our wedding, but not David. My first son was born. He also has
a love for baseball, but his Uncle David will never be able to go to a game and
see him play. It was a year before the 20th anniversary of David's death when I
started thinking that there must be something we could do to remember him! I woke
up one day and it was as if the memorial marker idea was just given to me from Higher
hands; so I went with it!
Over the years my feelings have changed. I do not hate the man that killed my brother,
it is because of him that I want to make a difference! I don't want anyone to have
to feel the way my family feels. We will always have a hole in our hearts for my
brother David. At first it felt that hole would never get smaller and 25 years later
and we are still healing. So, that is why I am doing what I am doing...
Leave yesterday, Live today, Love forever!
