At least one dance in a high school career should be “the dance.” The one that makes huge memories and the one that someone ultimately remembers for the rest of their earthly lives. The one that someone would gain or lose from and the one that fills minds with wonder to this day. The one that George Hutcheson experienced on his 18th birthday at the Halloween Dance 21 years ago. The night he danced with the beautiful blonde haired *Emily, no one knowing then that it would be their last.
George, now 40, graduated from Randall High School in the year of 1990. He graduated oldest in his class and was “Senior Most Courteous.” During those years, he had only dated about three girls, Emily being one of them. They met at a party ad she was new to Randall. He said that he really liked her, they it off quickly, and they wanted to go to prom together regardless. George said that it was a short relationship and they eventually broke up. The next time that they saw each other was at the dance and he said that they had still planned on going to prom together.
“I remember her smile; her laugh,” George said. “I would get lost in her.”
On December 20, 1988 Emily was killed in a car accident. The Halloween dance was the last time he had spent with her. He remembers it was a Saturday morning when he found out about her death. He turned on the TV in his living room and the local news was on. They were talking about a car accident the night before that killed a teenager and then they said her name.
“I was in disbelief,” George said. “The things that went through my mind was that it can’t be Emily, it couldn’t be, we were supposed to go the prom together. I was never going to see her again.”
He now has a song that is dedicated just to her and that night they danced on his birthday. He picked the song “The Dance” by country singer Garth Brooks.
“Every word in that song seems to reflect the very meaning of that night, the last night I would spend with her,” George said. “If I had known how it would play out, I might have done things differently. I may not have ever had that chance to spend with her.”
George said that of all the girls he’d dated, his and Emily’s relationship was different. They had met over the summer, seeing each other off and on and he said that her parents thought well of him. They spent a lot of time talking and spending time at her house. He said that he enjoyed being with her.
“One day she showed me the dress that she was going to wear to the prom; she was proud of that dress,” George said. “She modeled it for me at her house. She was beautiful in it.”
George said that he had never had any future plans with Emily but it still puts wonders in his mind if he had stayed with her. He wonders if she would still be here today and sometimes he thinks that he took the time he had for granted.
“I remember her arms being around my neck,” George said. “I can still feel that sometimes. I will never get that back, but I will always have that memory of her and that night. I have never shared anything like that with anyone else.”
George now has a Bachelor in Science and working on a Masters of Education in Instructional Design and Technology. He is currently employed at a local high school as a chemistry and physics teacher. George said that the experience he had with Emily affected him a great deal. He said he took from the experience that no one gets a second chance, and you never know when someone you care for is going to be taken out of your life. He compares the occurrence to the song “One Life to Love” by 33 Miles.
“Cherish that time you have with them,” George said. “Make the memory that you can hold on to. You can’t bring them back but they will always be in your heart and mind. I will always remember her.”

*Emily’s name has been changed out of respect for the family.