Life Changing Crash

The cold night sky illuminated by the bright blue moon. Cicadas singing all around us, the radio playing Not Afraid by Eminem, and the air conditioning on full blast. I started out the window as the trees flew past us, bright neon signs blasting in my face “Dollar Tree”, “Starbucks”, “Sam’s Club”, “Walmart”. It was really dark, so I laid down sideways in the back seats.

My uncle Alejandro, 17 years old and kind took me and my uncle Jonathan to go buy snacks at Walmart. We spent 30 minutes in the store the searching for cookies, chips, ice cream, candy, and drinks, all the snacks we could find. Afterwards we paid took our groceries to the car opening up bags of chips and boxes of candy as we loaded them into the car. I sat in the back laying down sideways eating as many chocolates and bags of chips as I could before anyone noticed. Jonathan my 9-year-old uncle wanted to listen to Welcome to the Jungle by Guns and Roses, I thought it was a weird song. “Put Eminem on or SPM” I said. I didn’t understand what they said I only knew it made me happy listening to the beat and fast words. It felt like we had already been on the road for what seemed like an eternity but when I looked up out the window, we had not even left the parking lot. I stare out the window and watch as we pull out the parking lot and into the street. Maybe because it was 10 o’clock at night a Saturday but traffic was not bad at all only a few cars on the road.

Before we could even drive away from the Walmart we were hit with a yellow light. The small sedan in front of us sped up to beat the yellow but as soon as they did, they got t-boned by a big black truck. The car flipped over and rolled into the curb. Ale yelled saying “OH S**T”. Jonathan woke up from the sudden noise and asked what had happened but before he got an answer, he had seen the car flipped. As I was about to say something I had heard a loud screaming sound.

Ale got out of the car and in a panicked yelled at Jonathan saying, “Call 911 them call Hector!”. Jonathan grabbed Ale’s phone and began dialing 911 I got out of the car with Ale to try and help him get the people out of the car, but as we approached the car we were hit with a sudden burst of heat. The car that still had people trapped inside of it caught fire, sounds of screams could be heard from the inside of the car and tires screeching as the black truck drove off. Jonathan came running out saying he already called 911, and that the paramedics were on their way.

I was only 6 years old at the time so there was no way that I could help pull anyone out of a car let alone an entire family, but seeing Ale disregard his own safety to save other in a dire situation had a profound impact on me. Ale told me and Jonathan to stay back but I didn’t listen, Jonathan tried holding me back from running to go help but I could tell he was scared and I understood why as I myself was horrified but I didn’t want my uncle to get hurt so I ran. Ale broke the window and attempted to get into the car to rescue the passengers, I wanted to help but I couldn’t, maybe it was the fear of getting hurt or the intense heat but my body wouldn’t let me get any closer. I could smell this rancid smell of burning rubber and the sounds of sirens in the distance. I don’t remember at what point Jonathan called my dad but he arrived before the cops, before the paramedics, and before the fire fighters. I wasn’t sure how long Ale had been trying to save the family but I remember he pulled a man out before going back in, at that point is when my dad arrived he quickly checked on me and my uncle and then ran to go help Ale. Jonathan once again tried to pull me away, this time I followed. Me and Jonathan watched from a distance as the fire fighters arrived and put out the fire. My ability to recall the events of that night was never the best but one thing I never forgot was the look in my uncles face as my dad spoke a few words to him. I’m not sure what exactly my dad said too him but the look he had was devasting as if he had just realized something he didn’t want to admit.

That night I learned the risk people take every time they drive, and why it is important to learn to drive properly.