Posted: 7/15/2014 2:34:53 PM EDT
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My wife and I are seat-belt Nazis. We have been all our 41 married years. The practice has served us well, saving us from serious injury or worse during a crash on I-95 14 years ago. We were rear-ended; our Honda Accord was destroyed (The crush zones worked perfectly!). Our two y/o grandson was in the rear seat in his car seat and he received minor cuts from the flying glass. The two cars astern of us didn't fare so well. five people in them were badly injured and were transported. So, why am I bringing up old news? Fast forward to seven days ago: My grandson, now a stapping six feet tall, was visiting his other grandparents in Nashville. Tuesday last, his other grandma was taking him to the airport so he could fly home. In her Explorer were our boy his 11 y/o half-sister and his 9 y/o half- brother. Apparently, none of the kids were buckled up. Grandma has never been much of a stickler for that. Grandma stopped for a construction zone on I-40 but a young and inattentive [male] driver behind them did not. He ran into her car at high speed, starting a chain crash that ultimately involved five vehicles. Several others were also transported, their fates unknown, but believed to be non-life threatening. The driver who hit them was unharmed. We immediately hit the road and made it to Nashville in ten hours. We returned Saturday; the jury still out on his sister. Our grandson suffered a major concussion and a wound to his scalp requiring several staples. He was unconscious and then combative when the EMTs tried to treat him. It took three cops and two EMTs to restrain him on the gurney. When he arrived at the hospital, the docs induced a coma for a day so they could treat and CT scan him, then stopped the meds and see if he would wake up on his own, which he did the next day. He is still on pain meds and will be taking it easy for several days. His 11 y/o sister however died this morning. She suffered a totally severed spine just below her skull and was dead at the scene. The EMTs re-started her heart then heloed her to the hospital but the damage to her spinal cord and brain due to lack of oxygen was too much to overcome. She never regained consciousness. His younger brother suffered a minor fracture to his spine and is home and doing ok. His other grandmother, who was driving, suffered bumps and bruises and is home as well. She is catatonic with grief. Kudos to the staff at Vanderbilt University Hospital. They were awesome to all of us. As you might imagine, we are all devastated. I know this is long, but it’s cathartic for me… Please say a prayer for little Alyssa. She did not deserve this...  Then go hug your kids and please make sure they are properly restrained in your vehicles! YOU DON'T WANT THIS! |
OP,sorry for your loss.
My own children are 10 & 12,I cannot imagine the pain, but I shed a tear for you and yours typing this. 22 years as a firefighter, I have long forgotten how many cars I've cut up on I-95. I have seen many tragedies. I have seen things I wish I hadn't. I have seen dozens of people walk away from wrecks you cannot believe, saved by crush zones, air bags, and seat belts. I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people that walked away from a severe accident after being ejected because they weren't wearing a seat belt. I can recall more than a dozen needless deaths where people were killed in relatively minor accidents because they didn't wear a seat belt. The seat belt keeps you where you need to be for the safety equipment to protect you. Without it, you are just spam in the can, flying around getting smashed. Thanks for taking the time to post this, I support your message 100% |
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Condolences on your loss.
Every time I see stories like this, it infuriates me. In the local papers, there have been numerous stories recently about young people in their late 20s not buckling up and/or not buckling up their kids. I can't understand it. My kid is 28, and he grew up with seatbelt laws. Everyone his generation and younger have never known seat belts NOT to be required. Some states make them primary offenses, not just an add-on to a speeding ticket or some other infraction. But even beyond the likelihood of getting financially penalized for not wearing one, why would anyone these days take the risk of getting seriously hurt when it is so easy to virtually eliminate that risk? 
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I'm terribly sorry for your loss OP.
Quoted:
Grandma stopped for a construction zone on I-40 but a young and inattentive [male] driver behind them did not. He ran into her car at high speed, starting a chain crash that ultimately involved five vehicles. I wonder what the idiot was texting his friends about when he did this. |
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Thanks to all. Our hearts are still breaking. We received some pics of the vehicles from the impound yard. The Explorer was crushed, front and rear. The front of the car that hit them is essentially gone. The other grandpa is a former Washington State Trooper. He got the initial reports and did his own analysis. He estimated the other car's speed at about 65-70 at impact. The Tennessee State Troopers said it was 75mph. The other driver has been indicted on a charge of vehicular manslaughter. Alyssa's organs were donated. We're just waiting for funeral info to depart again. Can't fly because our 15 y/o can't take the pressure differential...or at least that's what his doc says. Another check of the Explorer and discussions with Grandma and our boy indicate they were all belted but the little girl was lying down resting on the rear seat. That part of the Explorer is just gone. She must have died instantly. |