Notions of Justice: Ryan Heads to Prison

While the media salivates over former Governor George Ryan's trip to prison today, I prefer to think about the Willis Family.

They were the family who lost six of their nine children in a fiery van crash in 1994. The accident was caused by a truck whose driver received an illegal license in exchange for bribes. It was the crash that tipped off the investigation that led to Ryan's conviction and imprisonment.

The Willis's journey has been inconceivably heartbreaking. Their courage and faith in the face of it have been nothing short of remarkable. I recall reading that they find their loss so overwhelming that they grieve for one child on each day of week in order to somehow manage their sorrow.

ABC's 20/20 posted this transcript of a report they did in 1999 explaining how the investigation unfolded. The transcript ends with these quotes from Scott and Janet Willis.

JANET WILLIS
"There's a big difference in crying because you miss them and crying because you're feeling sorry for yourself. There really is a big difference between that. I think most -- 90 percent of the time the tears were just because I simply missed them. And yeah, they still come. The tears still come. But it's less and less. God is a healer."

REVEREND SCOTT WILLIS
"We're going to hang in there. By God's grace, we're going to stay to the end to see that justice is served."

It's impossible not to hope that today's events bring this family at least a modicum of peace. That's where I prefer to focus my thoughts today.