There were a lot of things about that day that were unusual. I had voted for the first time in years, and I was watching the election returns when I got the call. My son had wanted to drive his big brother's car that evening (a 1992 Nissan 240SX), but it wouldn't start, so I told him to take my car and pick up his girlfriend to go to her soccer game. I had been to a satellite campus to deliver anatomical models to the new anatomy lab that morning, and all my paperwork for the big project was in the car, as well as a very expensive model.
My son's twin brother drove us to the scene of the accident. He held it together even though he was visibly shaken. We couldn't get very close, but I saw my car spun around in the intersection, and there were papers and debris all over the road. There was nothing we could do. The helicopter was getting ready to leave. We went to the hospital emergency room. It was a long ride, and I couldn't stop crying. My 18 year old son drove fast but carefully; he never lost his composure.
In the emergency room, we found out that my son had dropped off his girlfriend at her car before attempting to come home. She could have been in the car with him, and she could have been injured also. Instead, she was driving behind him and saw the whole accident. My son was trying to turn left and was broad-sided by a Suburban. His girlfriend called 911 immediately. She held it together, too. They're still together, even though they are attending different colleges in different towns. Her whole family met us there at the emergency room, and we all clung to each other and cried and waited for some news from the doctors.
We eventually got to see my son, who had regained consciousness and couldn't remember the accident. He needed plastic surgery to repair his face. He didn't have any other broken bones, just some bad bruises and embedded broken glass in his left arm and face.
I stayed with him in the hospital for more than 48 sleepless hours before I left to go home and take a shower and change clothes. He was in a lot of pain before and after the surgery, and he asked for it when he needed more morphine. He came through the surgery just fine. He has 3 titanium plates in his face, to repair his cheekbone, his upper jaw, and his sinus on the left side of his face. He also has a plastic implant in the lower left eye orbit, which was shattered. Miraculously, his eyesight is fine, his sinus is fine, and he's a handsome young man with no lasting complications.
It could have been much worse. If he had been driving his brother's car, he might not have survived the accident. I've thought about this many times, and I've thought that someday I could write about it. There is much more to tell about that night, but for now, this is good. It was hard to go back and look at the pictures of the car. My son had to be cut out of it. The pillarless design of the Honda Element called for a lot of extra reinforcing at the place where the front and rear doors meet. I feel like this strong design saved my son's life, and he agrees.
I bought another Element, same year, same color.
And I thank God that my son is alive and well. I'm so grateful that he got a chance to live his life. That night changed my outlook in several significant ways. I'm also grateful for the people who touched my family's life and gave their love, support, encouragement, and abilities, to heal my son and minister to my family.
When I reminded my twins today of this anniversary, they wrote this:
:D [Twin A, who was in the accident]
oh, man, was that a year ago? time flies ... jeez. [Twin B]
You know what? They're fine and so am I.
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