One household was left feeling as if the world had stopped after dropping not one however two sons, precisely three months aside. Making issues worse, the brothers, who had been 12 and 25 years previous, had been even killed the identical method.
Three months after Jason Penkacik and his spouse Shawnee misplaced their 12-year-old son, Brighton, the grieving Florida mother and father woke as much as a knock on the door early one Friday morning. It was the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Workplace with information no guardian ever desires to listen to. The Penkacik’s 25-year-old son, Dalton, had been killed precisely three months to the day that Brighton had misplaced his life. Shockingly, the older brother had died the identical method his youthful brother did.
In line with authorities, at roughly 1:15 a.m. on that fateful Friday, a Jacksonville police officer was en path to an unrelated name when one thing mendacity throughout the within southbound lane of the 4500 block of Blanding Boulevard caught his eye. It gave the impression to be a person in his mid-20s after being struck by a driver who then “fled the scene with out rendering help, calling for assist, or reporting the incident,” the Florida Instances-Union reported.
The hit-and-run sufferer, later recognized as Dalton by the Penkaciks, was pronounced lifeless on the scene by Jacksonville Hearth and Rescue Division personnel. The 25-year-old had been strolling to his job at an Amazon supply middle when he was struck and killed within the in a single day hit-and-run accident—simply 2.5 miles from the place his youthful brother had died precisely three months prior when the youthful boy was additionally struck by a automotive and killed whereas strolling to highschool.
On the day he was hit, Brighton was strolling on a Lane Avenue sidewalk with a youthful brother when a canine began chasing the 2 boys. In an try to flee the canine, Brighton bumped into the roadway and was struck by a Chevrolet Cruz. The motive force remained on the scene and cooperated with the police of their investigation. Sadly, the 12-year-old boy misplaced his life within the pedestrian accident, and precisely three months later, his household was struck by tragedy once more when 25-year-old Dalton additionally fell sufferer to the identical tragic demise.
“On daily basis is a blessing! Hug your children and inform them you like them,” Jason Penkacik wrote in a social media publish as he introduced the loss of life of one other son. “This morning my 25 yr previous son Dalton Penkacik … was killed strolling to work in a success and run. That is the three month anniversary of his 12 yr previous brother Brighton dying strolling [on] his solution to college,” he continued. “This has been such a tricky yr and I recognize any prayers for our household as a result of they’re wanted.”
Talking with First Coast Information, Jason Penkacik mentioned Dalton had taken on duties when Brighton died to assist not solely his mother and father but additionally his many siblings by means of their grief. After his premature loss of life, the couple, who has ten different kids, mentioned they spent many of the day explaining why Dalton was not coming residence.
“This entire day has type of felt very surreal,” Jason defined. “I feel with Brighton it was extra speedy. His brother had witnessed it occur, and so it was extra about him, our son. Getting him by means of it, what he needed to undergo.”
When talking to information shops after Brighton’s loss of life, Shawnee Penkacik mentioned he “was the brightest gentle in our household of 12 children. He had plentiful pleasure, and since he walked to highschool, [he] is gone method too quickly.” Jason, who took to social media to announce Brighton’s passing, additionally referred to as him the household’s “Vibrant” gentle.
Three months and one other mindless tragedy later, Dalton’s loss of life had left the Penkacik household with questions on how somebody may hit their son and never cease to assist or not less than name for assist.
“I don’t know what their way of thinking was, clearly, however to hit someone and simply hold going and depart them on the street to die,” Jason Penkacik mentioned, talking of the hit-and-run driver. “That was the toughest factor once we first came upon,” the devastated dad added.
“It feels just like the world stops and also you’re attempting to course of it,” Jason admitted. “It’s tough to place into phrases, and it’s a sense I wouldn’t placed on anyone,” he continued. “You recognize tomorrow can be there,” he mentioned. “You recognize you’ll get by means of it. It’s simply type of arduous seeing how that can occur, and that’s the place you need to have the religion and belief in God that he’ll get you there.”
As anticipated, the deaths of their two brothers left the opposite ten Penkacik siblings fairly shaken, making issues all of the harder for the grief-stricken mother and father, who recalled what had change into their last moments with their son and what it’s been wish to attempt to course of such immense tragedy.
“When Brighton handed, [Dalton] was the one which held all the pieces collectively,” mother Shawnee advised WOKV. “We’re seeing our children who got here to the time period Brighton was gone to now Dalton is gone, they usually have ideas of who’s subsequent who’re we going to lose subsequent,” she defined. “Dalton was caring, compassionate, type, hardworking, a pillar in our household, a fantastic large brother,” Shawnee added earlier than recalling the very last thing Dalton mentioned to her: “‘Hey I like you mother, I’ll see you once I get residence,’ and I don’t get to see him.”
Sadly, as an alternative of seeing Dalton as anticipated, the mourning mom was left with questions, questioning how this might occur once more—made worse by the truth that this driver didn’t even cease.
“How may you simply hit him and depart? I don’t perceive it. I don’t perceive humanity,” she mentioned earlier than including that she too was counting on religion to get her by means of. “This has impacted our household, and in a method, that’s tough to get better from however we all know we’ll as a result of now we have robust religion and we all know God will see us by means of, however the humanity of it, compassion for folks, it appears like no one had compassion for Dalton.”
Certainly, one can solely think about absolutely the grief these mother and father and their remaining kids should really feel. If nothing else, it makes you need to squeeze your individual family members a bit of bit tighter. Jason and Shawnee Penkacik and their unusually tragic story are a daunting reminder that life is fragile, and on the drop of a hat, all the pieces can change as tragedy strikes—typically twice. So, depend your blessings, then hug your children and inform them that you just love them—simply as Jason steered—as a result of tomorrow isn’t promised.
