Shield Wolf

I always ask myself what possibly could I write about that is so interesting, my life isn’t totally boring but it isn’t a riot either.
However when I thought about getting material for my blog…. I didn’t wish for this.

Around 2:30am, Sun 1st Oct - The Accident

We were just coming from the Hilton where there is a little dancing on a Saturday… we came around the savanna to head home as usual when we spotted a mangled wreck. It was a small car (a Ford Laser) turned over on the side of the road. The Engine & Trunk sections had the most damage & the car itself was facing the wrong direction of the carriageway, with the engine part resting on the pavement.

Very few cars were around & just about 8 to 10 people were around when we got there. Normally I arrive a little later at scenes like this, so I just drive on as help is there…. But this time we were the help. I had no clue how I was going to do that but I stopped anyway with my sister & two friends in my car.

I learned later that at least 3 people including the driver were in the car. The 2 passengers came out okay… one with a few scratches, the other with a broken hand. The driver was still in the drivers seat not making a sound but alive. He was bleeding heavily all over his face…. Well from everywhere I guess. (I could not / did not want to see right into the car.) Right away about 4 or 5 men wanted to turn the car over… I knew in my mind that it was not right to move him (hence the car) at all, but amidst the crying to “get him out” & the quarrelling, they were intent on turning the car over. I must admit I helped at the last minute to turn it over – I could argue that they were gonna turn it over with or without my ‘help’, which they were & were all ready starting to before I arrived – but that split second decision will haunt me for the rest of my life. By the looks of it though he would not have lived either way…. But I would much rather like to think that I helped a bit, than made things worse. Don’t even know if I want the answer to that.

During this time his friend with the broken hand was begging someone, anyone, to move him from the car… I told those there, “NO don’t move him”... incase we make it worse. So there the man stayed with one hand hanging outside the driver side window – it moved once or twice but not much. From what I gather he must have been positioned more less horizontally between the driver & front passenger seats as his face was not visible… but I could not bring myself to look. (no ambulance yet)

The 2nd boy was sitting near the ground with his head hung low, sobbing. My sister asked if he was okay & if he called his parents (he looked about 18 to 20). He shook his head (meaning ‘no’)... still sobbing & breathing heavily. She told him, he should call but he was so traumatized he just handed her the phone. I asked for his no. & she asked for his name…. he walked away from us & said “Christopher”. His phone was not working so I used my friend’s phone who came behind us in another vehicle. I spoke to his Mom… & explained the situation. I immediately told her, her son was okay (first) & then the gory details. She seemed awfully calm listening to all of this & even asked for the license plate no. of the wrecked car.

The weird thing is, that the accident site is literally 1 min. from the hospital, driving. We called the ambulance many times but it still took 15 to 20 minutes to get there. If we were qualified to move him safely we could have got him to the General Hospital in 2 minutes on foot.

Most of my friends & my sister were very much composed & ready to offer practical & emotional assistance. One was too shocked to do anything… & yet another was more like a director, informing the medical staff (yes they finally arrived) of the occupants, injuries etc. so they can get help. (now the latter is the type of guy I want around if something happens to me…. Wow, he isn’t fazed by anything. Lets hope he is no different if it’s one of his close friends in that situation.)

I wish this story had a happy ending, but I did not see the driver’s hand move for a while. & he lost way too much blood. While I do not have an official report of his status, the general consensus is that he is dead. Another friend of mind remarked afterward that when he was near the car he smelled alcohol strongly. I was too in the moment to notice…. But it seems that he was under the influence.

Upon walking away.. I noticed the 1st & 2nd survivor (Christopher) sitting in the ambulance. Christopher was still crying & on the phone with someone… presumable his Mom that I notified a while ago.

We did all we could, even my sister spoke to some distraught onlookers about the resurrection hope. However the driver is in God’s hands now… & it’s just his family (wherever they are) that need consoling – a job for ones closer to them. We decided to leave.

I’m thinking now that during the night when I was partying I remarked that this beverage menu had no non-alcoholic drinks. Thus I did not have anything. Hmmm... good call.

……..& to you out there, especially you younger ones…. Nothing is wrong with having a little drink… getting drunk is the problem. (drinking & driving is out of the question!) A lot of people do not know there ‘limit’ & in fact, the ‘limit’ varies depending on how much you eat & other factors. ‘Drinking’ is unnecessary, & if you can avoid it all together, Good. The thought of slowly bleeding to death, with your back broken in an overturned car is enough reason to quit (or not to start at all). Or would you rather die? Maybe worse… Live… & kill everyone else with you?

Don’t be stupid… we are more fragile than you think.

(I have cried at every other paragraph writing this… I wish never to experience it again. I want to forget this feeling.)