StoryCorps: Myra Dean

StoryCorps: Myra Dean

Series: StoryCorps
From: StoryCorps
Length: 00:02:42

Myra Dean tells her friend Gary Jamison about her son, Rich Stark, who was killed by a reckless driver in 1977. Read the full description.

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Piece Description

What did Rich Stark want to be when he grew up? A marine biologist -- or to be 10, he would often tell people. In 1977, one year before he would have turned 10, Rich was hit and killed by a reckless driver. The boy had been playing in his neighborhood in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kan. Rich's mother, Myra Dean, remembers that day and what it's like to lose a child.

Broadcast History

NPR's Morning Edition 5/30/08

Transcript

MD: People used to ask him what he wanted to be when he grew up and used to tell people he either wanted to be a marine biologist or he wanted to be ten. And he didn't make it. The day he died I was going to go out with my girlfriends and Rich had a new friend named Steve. They were riding bikes and I said, "Come on. We gotta go pick up the babysitter." And he didn't want to go. He wanted to go to the corner because he wanted to watch the sunset. And I thought to myself, I don't want to tie him to his mama's apron strings, so I said, "Well you watch for cars." And I left. When I came back I saw this crowd of people at the end of the street and ambulance lights and I knew the minute I opened the car door and put my feet on the ground that it was Rich. And I got out of the car and I just started running. A guy had been hot rodding through our neighborhood. The car flipped over and it land...
Read the full transcript

Intro and Outro

INTRO:

Time now for StoryCorps.

People across the country are taking part in this project ...recording their memories.

Myra [MY-ruh] Dean came to StoryCorps to remember her son, Rich.

[TEASE
People used to ask what he wanted to be when he grew up. And he used to tell people he either wanted to be a marine biologist or he wanted to be ten.]

One year before Rich Stark would have TURNED ten ... he was hit and killed by a reckless driver.

Rich was playing outside in his suburban neighborhood.

TAPE
IN: The day he died ..."
OUT: ...

OUTRO:

Myra Dean, remembering her son Rich Stark at StoryCorps in Abilene, Texas.

Rich was killed 31 years ago this month.

All StoryCorps interviews are archived at the Library of Congress.