Mother organizes local version of global vigil to honor children who have died
By B.C. Manion
In the photograph, James David Birk and his sister, Samantha Adamo, lean toward their younger brother, Houston Adamo.
They’re all smiling broadly.
It’s the kind of photograph families often snap at the holidays.
This one was taken at the Hillsborough River State Park on Thanksgiving one year ago.
It was one of the first times in years that Linda Adamo had bothered to bring a camera to take pictures at the annual gathering, a tradition begun by earlier generations of her family going back more than 50 years.
Roughly 60 relatives and friends were there. They’d had a tremendous day, stuffing themselves with turkey and side dishes, playing games, laughing, chatting and checking out advertisements for the next day’s sales.
“We just had a really nice time,” Linda said.
James left for awhile, to watch a football game with a friend.
That’s when the bright, cheerful Happy Thanksgiving goes dark.
On his way back to spend the night camping with his family, in a tradition James had known his entire life, the 21-year-old lost control of his 2007 Ford Charger. He crashed into some trees and flipped, just minutes from his family.
Emergency personnel had to cut open the vehicle to free James from the wreckage. The University of Central Florida student was taken to Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, where he was pronounced dead.
It sent the family’s world reeling and they’ve been trying to regain their footing ever since.
“Burying your child is unreal,” Linda said. “It’s like an out-of-body experience. Completely. Completely,” she said. “You need help.”
She and her husband, Tim, got some help, but they — along with Samantha and Houston — still struggle with James’ death.
“I still don’t function right. There are still some days that I can’t get out of bed,” Linda said.
She knows there are others who have experienced the same kind of loss and pain.
That’s why she decided to try to organize a candlelight vigil on Dec. 12 at the Lutz Little League, in an event that coincides with Worldwide Candle Lighting Around the Globe. The Lutz event begins at 6 p.m., with the candle lighting at 7 p.m.
“It’s worldwide and in every different time zone,” Linda said. “For one hour you light a candle, so for 24 hours there will be a candle lit for every child who has died.”
Everyone is welcome to the vigil. Those sharing the event don’t have to be grieving the loss of their own child — they can be supporting someone else whose child has died. And it doesn’t matter how old the child was when he or she died, or when the death occurred, Linda said.
Time passes, but the grieving continues.
James’ accident was a nightmare, said his grandmother, June Cannon. “We try to guess and mostly we think it was a deer,” she said, speculating that he may have swerved to miss hitting one. “We don’t know though.”
They do know that alcohol did not play a role, Linda said, because an autopsy was performed.
The force of the accident caused massive internal injuries, June said. “It crushed his heart.”
James was the kind of guy who was always going out of his way to help others, Linda said.
He loved his sister and brother, she added.
He cared so much about Samantha that he would drive in from Orlando to watch her do a three-minute cheerleading routine. And, if James heard Houston was having a problem with his Xbox, he’d drive to Land O’ Lakes to fix it.
He was well-loved, Linda said. More than 500 people turned out for his visitation.
Tim said he still misses James so much that he periodically sends him text messages.
When James died, a lot of people didn’t know what to do, the couple said.
But some friends from the Lutz Leaguerettes knew just the thing.
They built a sanctuary in the family’s backyard, with brick pavers, chairs, mature palm trees and a fire pit – right in the spot where James had dug his original fire pit.
“James loved fires,” his grandmother said.
The friends who built the backyard oasis had these words etched onto one of the bricks: “James David, loving son & brother, your flame will forever burn in our hearts.”
A candlelight vigil, in memory of James, and others like him, seems fitting.
What: Worldwide Candle Lighting vigil in remembrance of children who have passed away
Where: Lutz Little League, 770 Lutz-Lake Fern Rd.
When: Sunday, Dec. 12 — 6 p.m. event begins; 7 p.m. candle lighting
Who: For bereaved families of Hillsborough and Pasco counties.
Highlights: Special readings, music and an announcement of the name of each child who has passed away. Please bring a photograph of the child who has passed away to be displayed on a special table. Also, candles will be provided, but feel free to bring one in case the supply runs out.
Contact: Linda Adamo, (813) 841-4374 or
