Thanksgiving Tragedies

The holiday weekend was replete with joyous gatherings and happenings but two events seemed to have drawn a dark curtain upon its close.  One was the passing of one of my all-time favorite slap-stick comedy performers. Leslie Nielsen was known in his later days as a master of deadpan antics in such classic spoofs as Airplane! and the Naked Gun trilogy of movies.  However, did you know that he got his start as a serious actor mainly as guest spots on Golden Age television?  It was 1980s spoof of the airplane disaster movies of a decade earlier that put him into the comedy spotlight.  Shortly after that came the short-lived Police Squad! television series which led to the films.  Mr. Nielsen lost his life Sunday after complications from pneumonia.  He was 84.

Another event hit much closer to home.  Three young boys have been missing from their Morenci, Michigan home since Thursday. An Amber alert has been issued for young Andrew (9), Alexander (7), and Tanner ( 5 years old) Skelton.  They were last seen with their father who now is in a mental health facility undergoing treatment after an apparent suicide attempt.  The search led to the small town of Pioneer and the surrounding communities, a mere 25 miles from my own small town.  Very little is known at this point about the whereabouts of the youngsters.  I’m sure that any prayers offered up to the family of these three little ones would be more than appreciated.