Teenagers do stupid things. That’s a given. But the dumb things they do aren’t supposed to cost anyone their lives.

On January 13, 1937, while their parents were away watching a movie, an unspeakable tragedy took place. The News-Record article below gives the details.

On January 17, this ad was placed in the paper.

How could a boy live with himself after that? Well, apparently, he managed to put it behind him. We see him mentioned in the paper a few times as an honor student. Then, on December 17, 1944, his picture appeared in the paper with much happier news.

Further newspaper articles mention that he began a long-term career in the service. In 1957, he made the paper again (as Marvin Montgomery, Maynard was his middle name) for mastering the Convair F102-A jet.

He visited his parents in 1960, the paper noted it.

In 1961, he was promoted to major. The last mention of him was in 1967, when in town to visit his parents again.

Here’s to the Montgomery family, especially Marvin Maynard Montgomery, for not allowing an unspeakable tragedy to ruin their lives.