A Tragic Story

On January 6th, a childhood friend, Kristy Ragsdale, was gunned down by her husband in a church parking lot in Lehi. She was my sister's best friend. She was shot several times and died almost instantly. She left behind two adorable boys- ages 4 and nearly 2. As the story unraveled and more details came out from family and friends, Kristy's life was not one that most would have expected. Anyone who knew Kristy saw her as a strong, opinionated, in control of herself woman. She had a beautiful home, a beautiful family, and was incredibly talented. No one would have anticipated the struggles Kristy had in the final months of her life. This tragedy has really affected my views on a few things. First: abuse, whether it be physical, verbal, emotional, etc., can happen to anyone- even those people who you think would be least likely to suffer from it. Second: the trials I face may seem difficult and sometimes impossible to face, but I would rather have mine than someone else's. Third: The Lord never leaves us to face our trials alone. Even Kristy found some measure of peace in the final weeks of her life. Two of my sisters and I attended the funeral. It was a strange mix of emotions, but I left feeling relief for Kristy that her time of true peace had come. My sister Honor, who knew Kristy so well, said something that also affected me. She said she wished she would have tried a little harder to visit Kristy when she had been in town, that she would have called a little more frequently, and been the best friend she knew she could have been. I hope that will always stay with me too. I hope I can be that person who tries harder to keep in contact with old friends, who makes a phone call on a whim, and visits when I'm in town.
Kristy was dearly loved and will be missed by all who knew her.
If anyone would like to read more about Kristy, I suggest you read memories from her family and friends: www.kristymemoryblog.blogspot.com/