We needed a few things at Costco. I hate Costco (reasons galore), but we decided we would make a quick run before the kid's bedtime. We snapped the kids in the car seats and I hollered my traditional, "M is your seat belt tight?" She is in a booster seat and it seems less safe than the five point safety harnesses in car seats. This is my baby after all. Steve was driving. I glanced at the clock on the dash - 7:20 p.m. We were at a stoplight and we were talking about life and we were laughing. The next second there is an enormous explosion and our car is propelled violently forward. I am aware of my arms raising up and my head snapping forward and slamming against the headrest multiple times. I watch my glasses fly off my face and land on the floor. Steve utters a statement of surprise (I don't remember what) and is about to stop in the lane. I tell him to pull over. He does. We were rear ended. I know it is a hard hit and not a fender bender. We are stunned. I can't think. My mind is foggy. Everything looks gray.
And then a realization hits me like lightening. We have been rear ended and my babies have taken the hit. Terror races through me as my mind screams at my clumsy fingers to unfasten my seat belt. I start yelling, "My babies! My babies!" I can hear M crying. I can't hear the boys. I don't know if that is good or bad. I finally get my seat belt off and I jump over coloring books and toy cars to get to my babies, not knowing what I am about to see. The rear window is gone. The force of the impact caused the glass to explode outward. I go to M first since she is crying. She is looking at me and shaking. I check her for blood or bruising, but see nothing. Still she cries. I grab her face. "Baby, are you hurt?!" She shakes her head. I check J. He is calmly looking at me. He asks for his flip flops which have flown off his feet. He is alright. I check D who is also calm and again no injuries.
Steve is hollering for a cell phone to call 911. His cell phone had flown off the console on impact. I find it and he makes the call while I try to console M. I look out where our back window had been to the car that hit us. The driver exited his vehicle and was walking to the sidewalk. I thought he would stop, but he didn't. He kept walking and then I realized he was not going to stay. He was leaving. I had the thought to yell at him to stop, but realized it would not make a difference. He hit a minivan. He never checked on us. I know he could hear me yelling to make sure my babies were safe and yet he walked away as nonchalantly as if he were taking a Sunday stroll. He never looked our way.
It seemed to take the police a long time to respond and when they finally arrived it became a full blown crime scene since the driver was gone. They scoured the area with flashlights. Turns out he had been using drugs, alcohol, and driving a stolen car. He hit us going 40-50 mph and never slowed down. The only skid marks were our own from the force of the hit. The impact totaled our car. The hit was not witnessed since we were the last in the row of cars waiting at the light and no one was going the opposite direction.
M was in shock and it took 45 minutes for her to calm down. The boys just stared at me without saying hardly anything for nearly a half hour. When J finally did speak he asked me to drive. He did not want Dad to drive anymore. I explained Daddy was a good driver, but someone else made a poor choice and hit our car. He could not be convinced otherwise and insisted I drive. We were there for two hours filling out the police report, emptying out our car, and waiting for the tow truck. Steve and I kept looking at each other with grim expressions while trying to find the good in the situation.
We got home around 9:45 pm and stayed up with the kids processing what they had seen and felt. It was heartbreaking to hear D talk about the "caw cwass", but they were all talked out by 10:30 pm. The next day they talked about the crash incessantly and here we are several days later and they are doing great. The only residual effect is that Steve and I were really, really sore for a few days, but we are now feeling much better.
Steve and I have spent a lot of time being exceedingly grateful. Here is our thank you list:
Thank you to the Honda Odyssey engineers who tested countless crash dummies and automotive designs and found one that protects people in a car crash. We were amazed that the car absorbed the energy and crumpled around us leaving us unharmed.
Thank you to the assembly line workers who put together the car and did not cut corners.
Thank you to the engineers who created Britax carseats and Evenflo Big Kid Amp Boosters in such a way that the seats absorbed the energy and did not leave any marks on my children. Not one.
Thank you to the assembly line workers who put the seats together and did not cut corners.
Thank you to the police officers who responded and helped us that night.
Thank you to the friend I called to pick us up who sat with my kids for an hour in her car while Steve and I worked with the police and towing company and normalized the situation for them.
Thank you to the towing company who was professional and kind.
Thank you to the collision repair shop that ended up being one of the best in the business and treated us with kindness and respect.
Thank you to our insurance company who went to bat for us and made sure we received the highest possible amount for our vehicle in a timely manner. Even calling us back at one point to let us know they were able to authorize a little more.
Thank you to Steve's parents for letting us borrow their extra car.
Thanks to our Heavenly Father for preserving our lives and allowing everything to work out smoothly.
To the individual that hit us:
Please let this experience be the last time you drive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Use this experience as a force for good in your life. Do not make this same mistake again. Do not let your thoughtless actions take someone's life. And when you do make a mistake, do not run. Accept the consequences of your actions. We hope that hitting us will be the impetus you need to change for the better.
To everyone else:
Please do not drive impaired. Call a friend, a family member, or a cab. Our story could have had a tragic ending. And please...wear your seat belt.
And then a realization hits me like lightening. We have been rear ended and my babies have taken the hit. Terror races through me as my mind screams at my clumsy fingers to unfasten my seat belt. I start yelling, "My babies! My babies!" I can hear M crying. I can't hear the boys. I don't know if that is good or bad. I finally get my seat belt off and I jump over coloring books and toy cars to get to my babies, not knowing what I am about to see. The rear window is gone. The force of the impact caused the glass to explode outward. I go to M first since she is crying. She is looking at me and shaking. I check her for blood or bruising, but see nothing. Still she cries. I grab her face. "Baby, are you hurt?!" She shakes her head. I check J. He is calmly looking at me. He asks for his flip flops which have flown off his feet. He is alright. I check D who is also calm and again no injuries.
Steve is hollering for a cell phone to call 911. His cell phone had flown off the console on impact. I find it and he makes the call while I try to console M. I look out where our back window had been to the car that hit us. The driver exited his vehicle and was walking to the sidewalk. I thought he would stop, but he didn't. He kept walking and then I realized he was not going to stay. He was leaving. I had the thought to yell at him to stop, but realized it would not make a difference. He hit a minivan. He never checked on us. I know he could hear me yelling to make sure my babies were safe and yet he walked away as nonchalantly as if he were taking a Sunday stroll. He never looked our way.
It seemed to take the police a long time to respond and when they finally arrived it became a full blown crime scene since the driver was gone. They scoured the area with flashlights. Turns out he had been using drugs, alcohol, and driving a stolen car. He hit us going 40-50 mph and never slowed down. The only skid marks were our own from the force of the hit. The impact totaled our car. The hit was not witnessed since we were the last in the row of cars waiting at the light and no one was going the opposite direction.
M was in shock and it took 45 minutes for her to calm down. The boys just stared at me without saying hardly anything for nearly a half hour. When J finally did speak he asked me to drive. He did not want Dad to drive anymore. I explained Daddy was a good driver, but someone else made a poor choice and hit our car. He could not be convinced otherwise and insisted I drive. We were there for two hours filling out the police report, emptying out our car, and waiting for the tow truck. Steve and I kept looking at each other with grim expressions while trying to find the good in the situation.
We got home around 9:45 pm and stayed up with the kids processing what they had seen and felt. It was heartbreaking to hear D talk about the "caw cwass", but they were all talked out by 10:30 pm. The next day they talked about the crash incessantly and here we are several days later and they are doing great. The only residual effect is that Steve and I were really, really sore for a few days, but we are now feeling much better.
Steve and I have spent a lot of time being exceedingly grateful. Here is our thank you list:
Thank you to the Honda Odyssey engineers who tested countless crash dummies and automotive designs and found one that protects people in a car crash. We were amazed that the car absorbed the energy and crumpled around us leaving us unharmed.
Thank you to the assembly line workers who put together the car and did not cut corners.
Thank you to the engineers who created Britax carseats and Evenflo Big Kid Amp Boosters in such a way that the seats absorbed the energy and did not leave any marks on my children. Not one.
Thank you to the assembly line workers who put the seats together and did not cut corners.
Thank you to the police officers who responded and helped us that night.
Thank you to the friend I called to pick us up who sat with my kids for an hour in her car while Steve and I worked with the police and towing company and normalized the situation for them.
Thank you to the towing company who was professional and kind.
Thank you to the collision repair shop that ended up being one of the best in the business and treated us with kindness and respect.
Thank you to our insurance company who went to bat for us and made sure we received the highest possible amount for our vehicle in a timely manner. Even calling us back at one point to let us know they were able to authorize a little more.
Thank you to Steve's parents for letting us borrow their extra car.
Thanks to our Heavenly Father for preserving our lives and allowing everything to work out smoothly.
To the individual that hit us:
Please let this experience be the last time you drive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Use this experience as a force for good in your life. Do not make this same mistake again. Do not let your thoughtless actions take someone's life. And when you do make a mistake, do not run. Accept the consequences of your actions. We hope that hitting us will be the impetus you need to change for the better.
To everyone else:
Please do not drive impaired. Call a friend, a family member, or a cab. Our story could have had a tragic ending. And please...wear your seat belt.
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