No Fooling crash

On Thursday April 1, 2021 I spoke to my mom on the phone and asked her what time we would be going to Mass on Good Friday. About five minutes later I called her again to tell her I was just in a car accident. She told me later she thought it was the worst April Fool’s Day joke I could ever play on her. After telling her that I was okay and my location, she and my dad came to be with me. Both my mom and dad were police officers and they have been to numerous accident scenes. Though they have never had to drive up to the scene of one of their children’s accident.

They found me standing by the totaled 2012 Jeep Patriot that I named Griffin. I was holding it together. Barely. Cruiser lights were flashing around me along with the beeping of the tow truck and the headlights of the many cars that were passing in the busy five lane intersection of Harshman Rd and Airway Rd. in Dayton, Ohio.

The accident was caused by the negligence of the other driver who sped through a red light and hit my car while I was entering the intersection. Luckily, the passenger saw the speeding car and yelled at me which gave me a little warning so I was able to downshift and hit the brakes. Luckily, two other motorists stopped to check on us and gave the police officer statements that the other driver ran a red light. Luckily, we were both wearing seatbelts. I always wear my seatbelt and so do all of my passengers. I can tell you though the bruises left from the seatbelts and airbag deployment hurt. However, the bruises faded and I know I am a blessed to walk away from that accident.

My car was struck and hit with such force we spun around and around and ended into oncoming traffic. His car spun and went over the median.

It was cold and dark. Your parents and driving instructors tell you what to do if you are in an accident but when it happens time stand still but things around you happen fast. Thank goodness there were adults at the scene to take care of me until my parents arrived.

Days later I had a volleyball tournament where I was going to play on a team four levels higher than I typically play. It was my time to shine. However, I woke up in the hotel so sick that I couldn’t play. I didn’t know it then but my eardrum ruptured and I couldn’t hear. Also headaches were very frequent.

Recovery was slow but I did recover. The health care professionals were kind and caring. It was this experience that helped me discover my passion for nursing. I know I want to put other people first in my life. I am called to do that. I have been taught that since I was little. Nursing is a profession that puts others before self.

I am grateful my parents enrolled my in a driver’s education class taught by former police officers. Police officers spend so much time in a cruiser and they see bad driver behavior and the results of bad driving. I learned so much and looked forward to the classes and the drive time with my instructor. I called my instructor after the accident and thanked him for sharing his knowledge with me.

All drivers need to realize the awesome responsibility they are assume every time they get behind the wheel of a car. Yes, cars are built safer than in years past but they doesn’t give the driver the license to act crazy and negligent. We all need to remind each other to obey the road signs and drive the speed limit. They are there to keep everyone safe.

I can’t make sense out of the car accident. I didn’t need to be there. I was just doing someone a favor and picking them up and giving them a ride. It wasn’t on my way. But I did meet strangers who stopped and helped me at the accident scene. I met a police officer who was nice, the tow truck driver who did his job with such speed in getting the cars out of the intersection. I remember he was kind to me. My car was totaled and he told me because of the impact, things that I thought I lost in the car were probably loose now and I would find them. He was right. I found my ipods. I met doctors and nurses who helped me decide my career path which is to be a nurse. And it all started on that one April Fool’s Day. No fooling.