The Rainy Day

As we loaded everyone into the car, I ran back inside to get the bouquet of roses, rain was pouring down hard. I played music to calm the kids from the thunder but the chaos of traffic kept everyone full of anxiety. It was quiet for a few seconds, when we finally came to a stop BANG, I was dizzy. I could hear the music and I felt a burning in my stomach where the seat belt pulled back. “Get out! Are you okay?” I heard my sister asking as I came back to reality, my eyes focused on the broken stems and petals all over the dashboard and I could hear my nephew crying, “the baby..” I could barely shout, I could not hear a response but I heard more crying “the baby!” I shouted, louder this time. No one was coming. No one said anything. I knew that I was the only one who could get us out of that situation.

I struggled to get my seatbelt off and reached for my phone. I made it to the other side and pulled the baby out, he was safe and hidden away under a tree, far from the chaos. I stumbled back and opened my sister’s door, she was awake. “She’s okay,” I whispered to myself. She managed to get out and began pulling the kids from the car, quickly unstrapping them from their carseats and checking them, they were okay. I walked my nephews to the tree next to their brother and pulled the baby out of his car seat and cradled him in my arms with tears of relief as I passed him to my sister. She looked so frightened but relieved that her baby was safe. I called 911 and requested assistance, my voice was shaking and cracked every few words from crying.

We sat on the side of the road and held each other while the rain poured and we saw the car sitting in front of us, destroyed. The lady that impacted us handed us water bottles and an umbrella. “I’m so sorry! My brakes slipped!” I could hear her shouting over sirens, she stumbled away leaving a smell of alcohol lingering in the air. I heard sirens but all I could see was a tow truck, the man came and slowly pulled the car that’s now in pieces to the side of the road.

I comforted my nephews and began to get anxious when the ambulance and fire trucks arrived. The boys were relieved to see the paramedics and firemen approaching us. I heard different sirens and saw the red and blue lights flashing not too far behind. As the firemen and paramedics began to take our vitals to ensure we’re okay, my sister left a statement with the policemen. I looked over at her and noticed that she was bleeding but we were too in shock to realize it before. She was taken to the hospital. The firefighters sat with us in the pouring rain while I made calls to our families. I called my mother and reassured her of our safety, then called my brother in law and let the kids speak to their father for comfort. He came to bring us home but the boys wanted to see their mom. Our anxiety built up on the drive to the hospital, feeling the tires slide in the rain and hearing the wind roar over the truck all while fearing that she was okay. When we walked into the hospital she was already being discharged, she only had minor injuries. Together again and on our way home, my mother embraced us with tears running down her cheeks, and our older sister came up to us with a worried look. We went inside, dried off and curled on the couch, still frightened, sore and in tears but relieved to still be alive.

We survived. 1.35 million people are killed in car accidents every year. That is 3,700 deaths a day. Not everyone gets to move on with their lives, lives have been ruined, kids were left as orphans, wives become widows, families were torn apart. Most car accidents are due to texting while driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, racing or even drugs. People are lucky to be alive after a serious impact from a machine as heavy as a vehicle, not everyone is that fortunate. Some people are left paralyzed, many without family members but everyone is left with trauma. Anyone can stay traumatized from a car accident whether they were the ones injured, the ones who lost family or the one who took a life. Nothing is worth living with that feeling of remorse and guilt for the rest of your life. Do not be an irresponsible driver, not under the influence of alcohol and drugs or even answering a text while driving. It is not safe.

If you can protect a life aside from your own by practicing safe driving, do it. Do not become part of a percentage. Protect a life.