I’m not sure what else can be said about the horrific events that took place in Brookhaven and Bogue Chitto in recent days. And I’m not sure what else needs to be said.

But I agree with many who are stressing that the tears and sense of loss are far from over.

When I was 12, my best friend, Darryl Nelms, was struck by a car as he rode his bicycle. Darryl was riding his bike down his grandmother’s driveway repeatedly, going as fast as he could and slamming on his brakes to slide in the loose gravel near the road. His little brother watched, and did some sliding of his own.

But Darryl slid a little too far one time and his bike slid out into the roadway, just below the crest of a hill. A young man driving a Volkswagen Beetle — not exceeding the speed limit and, as far as anyone knows, not breaking any other rules of driving — and couldn’t stop in time.

His front bumper struck the bike’s rear tire, and Darryl sustained serious injuries, including being thrown quite a ways down the road and landing on his head.

I was on vacation and didn’t find out until we got home the next day. We visited in the hospital, and I still remember the way he looked in that hospital bed in Corinth. All covered in tubes and bandages, and not very much like my best friend was supposed to look.

He never woke up. He died the next day, Wednesday. Sunday, the day before his accident, we were tossing my football in his front yard, when almost at the same time we asked each other if the other one knew Jesus. We were relieved to find out for certain we’d see each other again when this life was over.

We just didn’t know how soon “over” was coming.

He stepped into the arms of Jesus just a few days after that conversation, our last. I know I’ll see him again one day. But I still miss him.

So I’m going to keep praying for the hurting. I hope you will, too.

Brett Campbell can be reached at brett.campbell@dailyleader.com or 601-934-0901.