24 November 2003
No Greater Love - John Keiser
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"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." - Jesus, The Gospel of John, 15:13 (KJV)
When people argue against allowing same-sex couples to marry, there's a (usually unspoken) assumption that their relationship just isn't as... real as a male/female couple's. "Oh, sure, you're very fond of each other, but you're really just good friends who have recreational sex. It's not the same kind of profound, selfless love that a husband and wife have for each other".
In answer to that, I offer the example of John Keiser.
Late last night, as John and his boyfriend Jason Reichelt were inspecting the damage to their car following a collission with a drunk driver, another vehicle approached at high speed. John saw it. Jason did not. John pushed Jason out of the way. John was struck and killed.
I didn't know John Keiser, except from the article in The Grand Rapids Press this afternoon. But anyone - yes anyone - who's been in love can relate to his feelings for Jason. He had a love that - even in its infancy - prompted him to ignore his instincts for self-preservation, and instead save his boyfriend's life, at the cost of his own. According to no less an authority than the Son of God Himself, there is no greater love that a man can have. If John and Jason could share such a love after only a few months as boyfriends, surely such a love would be worthy of recognition between a couple who wished to commit themselves to each other for life.
Although The Press led with "safe" terminology, referring to the one young man as a "friend" of the other, they explained - as any story with such a poignant "human interest angle" would - that the two had been dating for a couple months, and the caption on the photo of Jason (surrounded by friends) referred to John as "his boyfriend". At least the city's newspaper of record recognised their relationship, even if the state would have refused them a licence to marry.
In a sense, John's sacrifice was extraordinary. Few of us are ever faced with such a decision, and not all of us would be able to make the choice he made. They're calling him a "hero", and the term certainly fits. But in many ways, the love he had is very typical... regardless of whether the object of affection is a woman or a man.
# 2003-11-24 05:48 PM | TrackBackthank you to who evers site this is. it means alot to me and so did john he gave me the greatest love ever and the greatest gift. it brings me to tears every time i read a new artical. its nice how my community sucha small town came forward with the support and thoughts and prayers and relize we are humans to. my family on the other hand dif story but it means alot to me to read what you have wrote and thank you.
Posted by: jason reichelt at December 13, 2003 05:58 PMI love ya Jason with all my heart, I was in Grand Rapids visiting them on that weekend, me my friend Mikey, and matt were staying at holiday inn. I can't believe I just seen him that night and now he has passed. It is so sad that both drivers had no license. Im asshamed of The drunk drivers friends for letting him drive and others at the bar should be held responsible or where ever he was that night. He should defintely be punished for being responsible for someone esle's life being dismissed. Again, I love you Jason! and I wish you the best of luck sueing that fucker and making him sit behind bars to think about what he has done.
Posted by: Wesly Beckman at January 6, 2004 02:40 PMI know the driver of the third vehicle VERY WELL. I know that she feels this loss too. I have seen her greiving every day. She wouldn't have been out driving that night and honestly before then she hasn't drove in almost a year, but she does a have a little girl, LeeAnne, who turned 5 on Jan. 27, that she has to support. I know she wishes she could take it back, and thanks God that Jason and Johns family has many people surrounding and supporting them. Yes, she knows she shouldn't have been driving, and blames herself everyday for this tragic loss, but she hopefully will soon be able to move on. As I hope for all of you. She feels terrible that "justice" hasn't been serve, but what is "justice" exactly? If it's jail, then no justice hasn't been met, but if its the guilt, the everyday crying, the once a week intensive therapy session, not being able to go back to work for fear of being in a car, seeing Jason crying when exiting the court room Thursday Jan 29, or wishing in some way that she could tell the friends and family how sorry she is and hot she wishes it never have happened, then "justice" in her matter for you has been met. I wish you all the best and pray for you everday. I"m sorry for your loss.
Posted by: ME at January 31, 2004 12:33 PMThey have said numerous times that Tonya, the driver of the third vehicle, is walking away with murder. I just want to point out that this was NOT murder. I Don't know any of the people that were involved, but I do know that all that girl is guilty of is DWLS!!! She was coming home from work for cying out loud. Do you see a motive in that? Murder has motive. THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT. She was a victim here as well. Victim of circumstance is what we have been calling it. From what I have seen of TV in in the paper, They were standin in the middle of the road with no lights. There was no way that little girl could have seen them. They shouln't have been standing in the middle of the road. Especially with no kind of lights on. HELLO PEOPLE! CAN WE SAY FLASHERS! SHE DESERVES NOTHING! I hate to make it sound like I have no sympathy, but I can only imagine what Tonya is personally going through with all of this.
Posted by: anonymous at January 31, 2004 12:47 PMI don't know anyone (nor would I bother spending any time trying to talk to anyone) who holds the woman whose car struck John Keiser responsible for his death. Driving with a suspended licence when unable to get a ride is - in the scheme of things - a trivial offence. And beyond that, it was an =accident=, plain and simple. Anyone who doesn't understand what that means needs to look the word up in a dictionary. I can't imagine how I'd feel in her shoes, but I know it's worse than anything she did.
I'm more critical of the driver who caused the initial collision. Driving while drunk is incredibly irresponsible. But the court's decision not to charge him with John Keiser's death is the correct decision. He should be charged with what he did, not for the accident that happened because of it. (If we're going to start charging people for the end results of things they happen to set in motion, then we need to haul Mr. and Mrs. Bin Laden into court for the World Trade Center catastrophe their son planned.)
"Justice" is a tricky thing for the courts to try to take care of. I wrote another article recently on that whole topic of what our "criminal justice" system is all about: http://scott.rzero.com/archives/000144.html
Posted by: Scott at January 31, 2004 07:06 PMI have been living with this every day since it happened, and I will live with it the rest of my life. To those of you involved, I am being punished! I hold a very heavy heart, guilt, nightmares, I've been having anxiety attacks, so much more. I wish to God I could take that night back, and God forbid it still, would've happened to someone else if I wasn't driving. Even tje girl behind me didn't see anything besides my car. I pray for all those including myself to be able to move on and let time heal. May God be with you.
Posted by: Tonya at April 6, 2004 10:05 PMI know Kevin Rideout (the drunk driver) I can't say anything to justify whats happend on his part but just know that he has to live with what happend every day and theres no greater punishment than that! ~CY
Posted by: unknown at May 13, 2004 02:09 PMHey, Jason! I am sorry to here about your accident, that is a terrible tragidy. I am also sorry to here about your loss. Just keep your head up high. And always remember, I LOVE YOU!!!!
Posted by: Audra at August 15, 2004 10:51 PMI went to school with John! I don't know Jason though. I lived in John's subdivision also. We both lived on Hunters Ridge! I miss John so much. I used to help his dad work on the business truck. I really don't know what else to say. I'm all sad now!
Posted by: Tichar Lewis at September 5, 2004 11:08 AMHey Jason.. I am sorry for what happened it is almost a year now and I am really sorry...I know i did not know John but by what everyone has said i wish i could of meet him because he seemed like a really good guy..He made many people happy including Jason..I love you Jason and if you need anything you know how to reach me...Love ya.
Andrea
Posted by: Andrea at November 22, 2004 03:58 PMI know Kevin Rideout and I agree with CY that there is nothing I can say to justify what happend. But seeing him since it's happend you'd know that he is being punished with having to live with that. I'm sorry for your loss but there is 2 seprate accidents that happend and that's what needs to be noticed. ~VR~
Posted by: unknown at January 28, 2005 01:50 PM3 years isnt enough for the life he has taken from me......he will never grow up and will amount to nothing.. kinda sad he was raised that way...
Posted by: jason reichelt at March 22, 2005 01:37 AM
