The "I didn't even know her last name!" Story

It was an ordinary day. Stopped to have lunch with my mom who is a resident in the Personal Care section of Moravian Manor in Lititz, PA. Sat and talked a short time and then mom asked if I would mind if her friend Helen could go to the Cafe with us for lunch. Helen is one of mom's best friends at MM. I told her that would be great so I checked out both of them and we walked through the halls to the Cafe. I enjoy eating with mom at the Cafe, because they have good food at a reasonable price. Some of the best soups in Lancaster are made at MM's Cafe. Mom had her usual hamburger on a soft-pretzel roll with a bag of chips's and a coke, while Helen had a hamburger on a sesame roll with chips and a container of jello with fruit and a coke. I had half a chicken salad sandwich, bag of chips, coke and a large bowl of the best potato soup I think I have ever eaten. Bits of bacon gave it a fantastic flavor. Mom picked out the table that is best for people watching and we enjoyed our meal together. Helen has been in the PC section for maybe three or four months less than mom, but she doesn't enjoy herself very much. The nicest lady, a year younger than mom, both graduated from JP McCaskey High School, but she wished she could be back in her old house in Grandview Heights where both she and my mom both last lived. Probably never going to happen though. She and mom got talking about their kids, mom telling her about Carol and our three kids and then she switched to my brother Steve and his wife and children. Then mom asked Helen about her three sons. Helen replied that she only has two sons who are living. She told mom that her other son had been murdered along with her daughter-in-law and grandson. Now, when I eat lunch with mom and whatever friend might join us, I sometimes listen to what they are saying and sometimes not. Well, I was half listening and half not. BUT ..... "What did you say, Helen?" I said to her. Then she told me about how her grandson's best friend entered her son's house in the Blossom Hill area of Manheim Township late one evening and stabbed her son, daughter-in-law and grandson to death. Only her grand-daughter escaped the brutality in the house that night. "Helen, is your last name Haines?" I asked her. "Yes, and my son was Tom, his wife was Lisa and my grandson was Kevin. He and his friend Alec were sophomores at the high school." By now I felt so sorry for Helen after realizing that it was her family that were the victims in the brutal murders on May 12, 2007. Helen's grand-daughter Maggie was awakened by a noise in the middle of the night, "smelled blood," and was told by her mother to go for assistance. The murderer, Alec Kreider, attended the family's memorial service on May 19. Maggie ran across the street to a neighbor, but communication between the neighbor, call taker at 911, and the dispatcher caused a delay of 12 minutes before the police arrived. By that time there were three bodies and Alec had vanished. The murders made national headlines and drew media coverage to the idyllic Blossom Hill section of the county. At Manheim Township High School, where Kevin and Alec were students, year-end finals were taking place. The school administration told the students over the intercom the next morning that they were safe in school, not knowing that Alec, in school that day to take his finals, was is the midst of them. Helen told me that Alec's mother later found blood on her son's sneakers and questioned her son about it and told him he either turned himself in to the police or she was calling them. On June 16, 2007 Alec turned himself in, two days after his father informed authorities that his son had confessed to the killings. Kreider pleaded guilty to three counts of first degree murder and was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole. Alec's only motive was that he said he felt a need to kill. Helen told me that Maggie now lives in Australia, as far away as she can from her home in Blossom Hill. She also said the house on Blossom Hill has not been sold, and Helen said maybe someday Maggie will want to return. But then, we both said we could never do that. Helen still feels the sadness of losing a son, daughter-in-law and grandson to violence, but is willing to talk about it. You can feel the sorrow with her. What a brave lady .... but my mom is the best friend she could have right now. Mom can cheer anyone up with her friendship, loving presence and smiling face. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.