Perhaps the worst kinds of accidents are the preventable ones.

This week the Norco community mourned the loss of two of its own when Emmett Barreca and his son James were killed at a railroad crossing.

Many questions surround the accident. Why were the two at a private crossing that is not meant for public access. Did Emmett Barreca see the train coming and just try to beat it? Did the train conductor blow his whistle to alert the Barrecas? These questions and many more have been on the minds of many who heard about the tragedy. Unfortunately, the answers to these questions are not presently known and may never be known. The only thing that is certain is a tragedy has occurred. A wife has lost a husband. A mother has lost a son. A daughter has lost a father. There is now a gaping hole in a family and a community.

Although the aforementioned questions need to be investigated for the greater good, now is not the time to be pointing fingers and playing the blame game. Regardless of the conditions surrounding the accident, the outcome remains, and the rest of the Barreca family is left to grieve the loss.

Now is the time for the River Parishes community to come together and provide the support this family needs so much right now. A fund has been set up at First National Bank in Norco, and donations may be made to the Emmett and James Barreca Tragedy Fund. This family needs the support of the community now more than ever.