Sunday, March 12, 2006

We hang by a very slender thread.
I just got off the phone with my father. My sissy, brother-in-law, niece and nephew - all precious to me beyone measure - are on the road and barely missed intimate involvement in an horrific tragedy. This morning they were about an hour east of Little Rock on the highway when a Ford Explorer came across the median from the other direction heading directly for their truck. Brother-in-law did some heroic driving and missed the oncoming vehicle in what must have taken off a layer of paint. Their windshield is broken, and there is all manner of scratches and cosmetic damage to the vehicle and tire damage from detritus in the road. My sister had been asleep and heard debris hitting the car. The Explorer driver had fallen asleep. They pulled over on the shoulder and several 18 wheelers behind them stopped too, saying he must have done some mean driving to avoid impact - they couldn't believe what they saw.
Sissy stayed in the car and called 911 as Brother in law went down into the ditch where the Explorer lay, cubed like a foil pack into the size of a compact car, and the driver was climbing up up the ditch side crying and screaming that he'd killed his sister. Indeed, my super-tough ex-Marine BIL said the sight of it was the worst thing he's ever seen.
I'm so sorry for that man and I'm sorry for his sister and their whole family, but right now I am so thankful mine are ok.

9 comments:

.- said...

hugs to you pf

SJ said...

Such a horrible story, for everyone :(

Barbara said...

Oh MY God, That is so sad. Very scarey too. Glad your family is ok. If not for the grace of God go the rest of us.

Twisted Lady said...

Driving and traveling can be so dangerous. Glad your family is ok...

how tragic though...

phlegmfatale said...

Thanks everyone. Yeah, it's just astonishing how lots of lives can be changed or ended with an instant's inattention. Chilling.

Tickersoid said...

Wow. Dunno what to say. Makes you realise how fragile life is.

Barbara Bruederlin said...

How very terrible. My thoughts are with everyone involved and my heart breaks for the family of the woman killed.

CP said...

I got a call Saturday morning from my boss. She needed me to go get the "on call cellphone" from the nurse that was on duty this weekend. Her grandmother (the woman who raised her) was T-boned by another vehicle while she was on her way to church. She was killed instantly. My poor friend CC was absolutely blown away. We are all so vulnerable to others. Each of us start our day with breakfast, brushing our teeth, taking a shower...and then, the second we leave home...who could ever predict it would be for the last time?

My heart goes out to the family of the person who lost their life. My hugs go to YOU, for not being one of those people. It's okay to feel relief and to feel thankful.

CP.

Heather B said...

Life can just slap you in the face sometimes ...