In February, an editorial in this very spot in the paper reflected on how Vashon had been hard hit by three recent deaths of young people — Palmer Burk, India Castle and Ryan Krug. It’s hard to believe that just three months later, we’re adding another name to that list. While the death of 20-year-old Samantha Burkart is certainly a tragedy in itself, many islanders are noting that it also seems to cap a shocking and inexplicable string of deaths of islanders in their teens or 20s.

Though Samantha, a VHS graduate, was no longer in Vashon schools like Palmer and Ryan, she was a part of our small community, and her death has been felt. And while all of these young people ran in different crowds and were lost under different circumstances, their deaths bind us together in a shared sense of loss.

Leaders in the school district and Vashon Youth & Family Services say they’ve observed that some — in particular young people — are still struggling mightily with the losses of their friends and classmates. And for some, the most recent tragic news hit a spot already sore from grief. It’s appropriate that VYFS is taking steps beyond its support groups and suicide prevention meetings to try to address what some are still search for — healing.

Some deaths will never make sense, and some wounds never fully heal, but we hope islanders struggling with any of the recent tragedies, as well as their families, will consider attending tonight’s event with an open mind. Perhaps coming together as a community will help relieve some of the pain that lingers. And who knows, one life reached out to could ultimately be one life saved.