sunday. i saw the most awful thing.

[vash]

myself and another lady came up on this. she apparently saw the thing happen. i only saw the car just coming to a stop. the image in my mind really messed with me. the noises, the helplessness..i talked to a shrink. it was one of the worst things i have ever seen. when we called 911, i heard the sirens fire up all over town. i bet the first 3 cars got to us in 45 seconds. my small town has the best cops.

Concord woman dies when own car rolls over her

[Vipergrün]

Sorry you had to witness that. I dealt with a tragic accident I saw involving my GF at the time. Messed with me for a long time. Finally saw a therapist who practiced EMDR and finally worked through it. EMDR basically re-programs the brain regarding the memories.

[speeder]

That's terrible. Bad accidents happen all the time but it's awful to see one.

[masraum]

I'm sorry that you had to deal with that. I've been lucky to have never had to deal with anything like that first hand.

As bad as that was, I can't even imagine what sort of toll going to war takes on the mind.

[Burnin' oil]

One moment everything is hunky dory, the next moment your dead.

I was thinking of that this morning. A few years ago, I drove by an arborist dude in a cherry picker trimming a sycamore. I looked up at him to see if I knew him (I didn't) and drove on. Moments later, a limb fell and broke his neck - dead.

The lady Cliff saw is out in her driveway, right as rain, getting ready to go to church and apparently at no risk of harm and poof - dead.

[speeder]

I think about instant death on an occasional basis, mostly because I've come close a few times due to my own inattentiveness or carelessness. It only takes an instant.

[vash]

thanks.

i ducked under the car to check for life. what i saw kept me from going back under. one BRAVE lady dove under and started talking to her. what kept her from fainting is beyond me. one kid did turn white and run away. under the car, i focused on her head, and blocked out what was happening to the rest of her body.

i hope to make the funeral services.

[Hard-Deck]

Cherish each day that you wake up as they are gifts.

I and many on this board have witnessed death in common life and in combat. Like Burnin Oil said, "poof".

It is interesting how I react in various degrees: If the person is older I feel bad, but if they are young or a child I am terribly anguished.

Live each day like that poof will be tomorrow or this afternoon.

My signature line says it: "I have 1*" which means I have one a$$ to risk.

[pwd72s]

Vash...may this not give you nighmares, but may it make you appreciate your own life more.

[Seahawk]

Vash,

Take care to take care of you. No man card at stake, my friend. Your reaction is normal and healthy.

I have seen some horrific things, and have come within a gnats rectum of finding myself on the wrong side of the ledger on more than a few occasions.

Every time I took stock and got right in my mind. Your way of handling this is yours. Take your time and don't press.

[Pazuzu]

I have the initials of a man tattooed on my arm. I was first on the scene after he was run over by his own dodge truck, and he bled out in my arms. Same thing as what you went through. His face will never leave my head, so his name might as well never leave either.


This happened at a particularly bad time in my life as well, and was a major force in sending me way over the edge.

1) You will spend weeks or months wondering if you could have done something different. You couldn't. Contact the police and have them get you in touch with Victim Witnesses. You know those random people on the street that watch someone get shot or run over? Wanna know who specifically helps them cope? Victim Witnesses does. It's what they do, they help you deal with the specifics of being a random poor dude who has to deal with stuff like this.

2) You will be deathly afraid of cars and driving for a while. Every time I got in the car, i was sure I was going to run someone over while backing out of a parking spot or something. Once you see how damned fragile we are, you have trouble getting back to not being afraid of the world. You'll get over this.

3) You cannot depend on the shrink to fix this. not something like this. Even if you go every day, you'll spend 23 hours building it up in your head and hope that in 1 hour you can release that? Ain't gonna happen. You need him AND every possible kind of help you can scrounge up.

4) Be prepared to curse that poor ladies name in the coming months. It wasn't her fault, but she'll be the only hook you can hang that hat on. Go ahead, she won't mind.

[DavidI]

Vash, thanks for stopping and attempting to aid the unfortunate victim. I am sure her family truly thanks you for your compassion and selflessness.

Like Seahawk said, make sure you seek some aid for yourself as well, David

[Tobra]

If something like that does not affect you, you have something wrong with you.

My wife told me stuff from her time working in the ER that would have cured me from wanting to work there, ever. She is really good at that sort of crap. All cool and steely eyes in the heat of the moment, shook up and useless later when it does not matter.

When we were dating I went to see her when she was working on the hospital floor. Lady she was taking care of was sitting in a chair, looked fine to me, bleeding out from perforated ulcer it turned out. Just like a switch flipped, tells me to help her get her on the bed, go call a code, get the crash cart and get some help. I bring the crash cart and ask her what she wants me to do. "Get out of here and go get someone who can help me." About then, a whole gang of people come charging in. I asked her about it the next day. Woman died in the ICU. She has been first on scene at a few MVAs. If someone shoots you or runs you over, or you crash your motorcycle into someone's boat trailer, she is just the gal you want to show up.

[dondarnell]

Killed by your own Hyundia- you don't want that on your death certificate.

[azasadny]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Vash,

Take care to take care of you. No man card at stake, my friend. Your reaction is normal and healthy.

I have seen some horrific things, and have come within a gnats rectum of finding myself on the wrong side of the ledger on more than a few occasions.

Every time I took stock and got right in my mind. Your way of handling this is yours. Take your time and don't press.

Exactly!

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by dondarnell

Killed by your own Hyundia- you don't want that on your death certificate.

Better death by Porsche, right?

[dondarnell]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Better death by Porsche, right?

Slightly.

[rusnak]

We are not in control.

That's the leason I learned when I saw an old guy get hit by a Honda going about 35 mph.

[Groesbeck Hurricane]

Best and be good to yourself! It is a horrible thing to witness!

[Schumi]

Do I have to be the first person to bring up: how the hell could this happen? I read the article twice. For a car to back over you under the power of gravity alone (it said the engine was off and no one was in it) that car has to be on a fair incline. And in neutral. So she got in the car, put it in neutral, then got out and somehow made it to the back of the car (to get something out of the trunk?) fast enough that the car hadn't started rolling back yet but was obviously too slow to get the hell out of the way when it starting rolling back on her?

Also, a hyundai does not sit too low. I have a hard time seeing how it could crush someone to death unless it was going at a significant speed before it pulled you under the bumper. I can't really seem to figure out how this happens. Several of you mentioned the "One moment everything is hunky dory, the next moment your dead." phrasing... I don't think like that because I don't wind up in situations where things like this can happen. It's honestly a ridiculous way to die. I'm sorry for the woman it happened to, but that doesn't make it any less ridiculous.

/end of my cold, heartless commentary.



Vash- it's a horrible thing to deal with any event involving witnessing someone lose their life, and I know you will come to terms with it, it will just take time.