Glitz and Glamour?

I titled my post that because it's makes me cringe when I hear people refer to "the city" as if it's this awe-filled, wonderful, glamourous place...seriously.... only to us "suburbian" folks who only go the richest parts, and dine at the finest restaurants while there are addicts, abusers, the abused, homeless and unloved merely blocks away.

Thankfully, I grew up in a great home, with a wonderful, loving Mom. But, I went to school in Toronto with many less fortunate peers. Friends, who's parents were drunks, drug addicts, abusive and negligent. Not to say that everyone in Toronto is like that, by any means... but unfortunately, too many are. This morning when I went online to read the news, I saw this headline...

I went to school with this guy. We hung out at school dances and had chin-up competitions. He was the kind of guy you would go and "vent" to if you were mad at your girlfriends. My best friend had a crush on him in grade 7, and we called him "babyface".

Here's why...

That's the photo from my grade 8 yearbook. His goal was to "go to high school everyday and only be late once in a while."

From that...to this:

Police have this message for Kyle Weese, wanted in connection with a senseless weekend shooting that left a young woman dead: turn yourself in, because we'll find you if you don't.
A Canada-wide warrant was issued for the 24-year-old murder suspect after bullets flew early Saturday outside the Duke of York tavern near Queen and Leslie Sts. Bailey Zaveda, 23, was standing outside the bar when a fight broke out between two men and one started shooting. She was struck in the torso several times and succumbed to her wounds, becoming the latest innocent bystander in this city to die in a hail of gunfire.
Not long after the fatal shooting police identified Weese as a suspect and released his photo. According to Det. Sgt. Gary Giroux, he's known to police and is considered "an extremely violent man."
Weese is "extremely well known to the uniform and plainclothes officers of 55 Division. He's a long time area resident, very extensive criminal record, very violent person," Giroux claimed at a press conference Sunday.
Four other people were wounded in the violent exchange, but they're expected to survive.

Honestly, my heart sinks every time I hear about another grade school friend who is now an addict, convict, prostitute... or whatever it may be. They never had a chance. I heard so many of them say, how they "didn't want to be like their parents"... and yet, 10 years later... we see the cycle at work.

For the majority of the people who live in "the city" of downtown Toronto...it is anything but, "glitz and glamour".

I realize this is a family blog...and yes, I do it to keep people updated with the kids ..and I will probably end up deleting this post...but I had to get it off my chest. My heart has never been more burdened for the youth of Toronto...