Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By STEVE SEMBRAT steves@leader.net
Saturday, February 05, 2000 Page: 1B
Ed O’Neill offers hope to those groping toward the finish line in his
recently published book, “I Have Finished The Race.”
In the 76 pages of text, released by AZTexts Publishing, the Kingston
resident writes of the life and death of his daughter, Ensign Kerryn Lynn
O’Neill, a standout runner at Wyoming Valley West High School and the U.S.
Naval Academy. In his battle to come to terms with the death, Ed O’Neill is
nowhere near the finish line.
“It wasn’t just that my daughter died, she was murdered,” O’Neill said.
“She was murdered by somebody I knew and respected.”
O’Neill, 21, and another naval officer, Alton Grizzard, were shot to death
by a third naval officer, George Smith, on Dec. 1, 1993. Smith then committed
suicide.
According to the book, O’Neill and Smith were to be married, but the
engagement was put on hold. The two had a fight hours before the shooting.
Grizzard, a friend of O’Neill’s, was consoling her when the shooting occurred
at the officers quarters of a naval base in Coronado, Calif.
“I mentioned to somebody by e-mail that I am like a recovering
alcoholic,” O’Neill said. “Every day is a battle.”
He writes of his fight to avoid despair in his grief. He offers advice in
dealing with friends who are hurting, and challenges the way we deal with
death.
The book has its dark points. O’Neill writes of the times he did not want
to continue living. He also expresses bitterness about the way the Navy
handled some of the events after the shooting.
However, O’Neill’s overriding message is mostly upbeat. He said he didn’t
originally intend to write a book. He wrote his recollections and feelings in
a journal to help deal with his grief. The idea for having a book published,
he said, came from the desire to have a permanent record of Kerri for his
other children, Ed and Kristen.
“The story, some might feel, is very depressing,” O’Neill said. “I hope
not. I hope, as some people say, it is a celebration of her life and I hope
that comes through.”
After all, it is Kerri O’Neill who has finished the race, and this book
gives it from the viewpoint of a loving father bragging about all his youngest
daughter accomplished in just 21 years of life.
“In this day and age, our attention is focused on all the negatives as far
as adolescents and growing up,” O’Neill said. “I was fortunate enough to
have my daughter, who accomplished a lot of things through a lot of hard work.
“What was my goal? My publisher asked me that from day one. I said, if
even just one young person can be inspired, it’s worth it. There are so many
negative things it is disturbing.”
The book “I Have Finished The Race” costs $9.95 and is available at
several local bookstores.
Call Sembrat at 829-7229.