Name: Hailey Schall
From: Cottage Grove, MN
Votes: 0
The
Accident That Changed My Life
“The
time between life and death is a time to give thanks for each day.”
This quote may mean more to me personally than a person who hasn’t
experienced the horrific trauma I faced on a cold winter day. On
February 9th, 2019 my life flashed before my eyes. Statistically, I
should’ve been another one of the many people who lost their lives
due to car accidents. This topic is very important because people
always say “it won’t happen to me”. Trust me I thought that as
well… but anything can happen in a blink of an eye.
I
want people to know the facts of what really happens to someone in a
serious accident like mine and how it will affect your life for a
long time, maybe even forever. I lost a lot of precious memories from
my childhood that I won’t ever get back. The scenes leading up to
the accident and after constantly replay in my mind because my brain
is trying to remember what happened. I now suffer with PTSD and I
never thought that it could be so real. Every time I think about it
or am in the car my heart is constantly racing in fear it will happen
again. I don’t remember a lot but what I do remember is waking up
screaming, confused and bloody. The thing that sticks out the most to
me is the feeling. It is a feeling that nobody can explain. The not
knowing where you are especially the adrenaline rush. The feeling of
not being able to open the door because it’s smashed in so much.
The most horrific feeling of your body becoming warm and numb and
thinking “this is it”. Many people are scared of death but it
really isn’t that scary.
I
remember being taught my whole life to call 911 in an emergency but
when you’re hit so hard you don’t know what that is. I feel that
people should take driving more seriously than they do. My life will
never be the same I have lifelong physical and mental trauma from my
experience. Unfortunately, My boyfriend crashed us into a tree going
80 mph. My moms friends kid died a couple years prior to my accident
being hit head on going 30 mph. You would think I should be the one
dead. Well that’s not the case and I’m very thankful. People can
get killed at any speed when in the car. I think the steps needed to
be taken are to not text and drive and pay attention to the road at
all times.but most importantly wear your seat belt. Of course I was
wearing my seat belt but due to the extent it snapped in half but it
truly does save lives. Never take life for granted because everything
can change in seconds and it will leave you there wishing you could
go back in time and change things.
