Saw something terrible last Thursday, and just need to vent, I guess....

[J-Roc]

I happened by a terrible accident last Thursday. A 14 year old kid t-boned a gravel truck that was travelling down the highway on his dirtbike. It was the worst thing i've ever seen. He didn't make it, and obviously, now all I can think about is if I should have done anything differently, and it keeps replaying in my mind. Haven't slept much since then.

Has anyone ever been through something similar, and if so, how does one come to terms with it?

I know this is going to bother me for a long time, possibly forever. I just can't seem to convince myself that we did the right thing. Poor kid and his family.

The family of this child wil forever be in my heart and prayers.

 

[hesse]

its tought to say with that story if you dont mind do you want to share details?

 

[woodzy]

Wow man, that's terrible... Things like this are exactly why I don't want to be a fireman. have you tried talking about it to anybody about it- friends, family, etc.?

 

[redlineguy]

That sucks bro.

Don't know what to say. I guess bottom line is You did not cause it so don't feel to bad.

Also odd's are there was not much you could have done anyway so don't beet yourself up over it.






.

 

[J-Roc]

Sorry on being sketchy on details. I arrived there by pure chance probably 2 minutes after it happened. There was a passerby already on the phone with 911. Very shortly after I got there, a grader operator showed up, and mentioned that we should go find the police officer who had recently drove by the area. We quickly jumped in my truck, and went to find the officer. Once he arrived on scene, things started to come together very quickly.

This poor kid had blood coming out of his eyes, nose, and ears, and his legs were turned 90 degrees to the side of his body. Something tells me we couldn't have saved his life, but I still feel like there could have been something we could have done to at least give him a chance, or at least a bit of comfort.

Found out later that the police had been called about these bikes and quads running around the area (rural area well outside of town). The police officer we went to find had been trying to stop this child, and the kid outran him. Then, while the cop was at the complainant's home, this happened.

Honestly, i'm still in shock about this. It happened about 1/4 mile from the girlfriend's house, and now I reflash this through my head everytime I drive out there.

Thanks a million for the input guys.....

 

[woodzy]

I would say you did exactly what you should have done. Sorry you had to go thru this dood..

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

Back in 2000 I saw a girl get killed right in front me me while driving. Some idiots were in a rush going down the highway and rode her bumper. She thought she passed the tractor trailer and clipped it when she changed lanes thus putting her into a spin and then a roll. She was ejected from the car (I can remember seeing her body in the air), the tire smoke, and everything. Her car actually came down on top of the two idiots in the convertible Mustang killing the passenger. When it all came to a stop I ran over to check on her and saw her brain and everything. It was a scary site and something I'll never forget but I realized I couldn't do a thing. In your case there was really nothing you could have done from what it sounds like. You went to get help since you're not a paramedic. That is exactly what I would have done if the kid wasn't consious. I never went to check on the Mustang because it came to a stop 50+ yards down the highway. I saw them cover the passenger seat and knew he was dead. Nothing I could have done there either and I haven't thought of it till now. I don't drive that area at all so can't say I have reminders. Your case is a little different so I wish you the best. It won't be easy for a long time.

 

[Jeff C]

Roc:

I know what you are going through and you were not even in the accident or the cause of it, but you still feel weird about it.

I am still mentally feeling the effects of a terrible accident I was in last summer. An 82 year old lady was ina minivan and pulled out in front of me while I was going 55-60 mph in our Ford Excursion. I T-Boned her RIGHT IN THE DRIVERS DOOR! My truck went into the minivan right where she sat 26" (I measured it the next day)

My wife, myself, and my 6 and 9 year olds all walked away without a scratch.

The old lady was not so fortunate...........


This happened August 10, 2007 and I still think about what happened every day. Even though there was nothing I could do differently in that situation, I still feel some sort of guilt over it.

Time seems to be your friend in these sorts of things.

I still get skiddish when I see vehicles waiting to pull out into traffic when I am going highway speeds.

Time my friend, Time!

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

Roc:

I know what you are going through and you were not even in the accident or the cause of it, but you still feel weird about it.

I am still mentally feeling the effects of a terrible accident I was in last summer. An 82 year old lady was ina minivan and pulled out in front of me while I was going 55-60 mph in our Ford Excursion. I T-Boned her RIGHT IN THE DRIVERS DOOR! My truck went into the minivan right where she sat 26" (I measured it the next day)

My wife, myself, and my 6 and 9 year olds all walked away without a scratch.

The old lady was not so fortunate...........


This happened August 10, 2007 and I still think about what happened every day. Even though there was nothing I could do differently in that situation, I still feel some sort of guilt over it.

Time seems to be your friend in these sorts of things.

I still get skiddish when I see vehicles waiting to pull out into traffic when I am going highway speeds.

Time my friend, Time!

WOW! Man, I'm sorry to hear that. Obviously not your fault but I don't know if I could deal with knowing I took a life. I am sure you have thought several times, what if I was 30 seconds ahead/behind, what if I stopped to get that coffee, etc.

 

[ouch]

Sorry about the thoughts running through your head. Theres nothing you can do to prevent something like that unless your the one in control of the dirtbike. Not a good thing. Everyone has there time. Keep your self busy to keep your mind active... polish the tunnel on the sled with the radio up, or something.

 

[Duddin]

I kinda know how you guys feel.
My senior year I was going to church and as I drove through the parking lot a little girl on her brand new bike she got for easter came out from in between 2 cars and I hit her pretty good.
She flew about 15 ft ahead luckily because her bike ended up under my tire. She was ok but I'll never forget that feeling.
My mom didnt know it was me that hit her and came and asked me to take her and her mom home. While I was gone my brother looked at my mom and was like why the he!! did you ask him to do that and told her what happened.
The girls mom didnt know it was me either and that was a horrible conversation on the way to their house. Nothing I could have done and the girl was fine and everyone understood but still a bad deal.

 

[H2SNOW]

been there done that and have the T-shirt ...

Ive been watchin guys and gals leave this planet in soo many ways this forum doesn't have enough space for it ..

One instance for relationship purposes to your story ....about five of us were rippin around on our dirt bikes back a few years ago ..anyway long story short , I was done and as we always did we rode each other to our houses and then the next guy left ..

Well Jason Witney and Tom Arnold were the last of the bunch and they left my house ....alls I heard was the sound of a YZ 250 run through the gears and then nothin...............apparently Tom decided for some stupid reason to run down by some road construction where there was a bunch of equipment sittin
anyways he came over a small berm and smacked the folded back stick of a 245 Excavator...needless to say .....we never took the helmut of because it was mush........

one more reason why I can't stand people driving like dicks, or bikers thinkin they own the road ....because just maybe I'm tired of dealin with all the bush1t that ensues after bad judgement....

stop the rewind button Jay thats all I can say .....get busy with somethin productive
and apparently there wasn't anything that you guys coulda done to prevent,change, or alter the situation

Mike

 

[yardfarmer]

Thier is nothing you can do to change the memories. The memories or replays will become less frequent with time and some day hopefully you will make peace with it.
I have seen some seriously shocking accidents from the mid to late 90's (emergency med tech/fireman). The accidental death of a child is very hard to deal with. The memories are stired up when I am at the location, when i see thier parents, sibblings (small town)ect. or triggered by specific sounds, taste, smells and when I read your post. Bless the children and thier families. Pm me if want.

 

[Kevco]

My bro and I both worked for my dad when we were young. Dad and little bro had words the night before so he ( little bro ) decided he was driving himself to work. As my dad and I are driving down the hill going to work we notice my bro 1/2 mile ahead. As he goes thru his green light BAM he gets T boned by a car that was obviously speeding and ran a red light. My dad melts down. i told him to park and wait in the car, which is now on its lid 180' on top of a bus bench ( it was hit so hard it went air born). I ran to my bros car and found it wasnt even his car, it was a friend of mines mother. How she survived is beyond me. The guy that hit her came up behind me to see if she was ok...He wasnt his scalp was covering half of his face he had shards of glass embedded in his face...Long story short she survived with minor wounds he did not make it. This was over 20 yrs ago. I does not haunt me but I can still see it over and over in my head...Which sucks cause I need all the ram I can get my hands on at this stage in the game. Hang in there time will help, hang with your pals and make good memories to replace the junk.

 

[Trukker]

I like H2Snow have seen way too many accidents and deaths on the road and don't even care to share any details.Seek some councilling if it persists(dreams ,images etc) it may help.

 

[XC700116]

A few years ago I was bouncing at a local bar, we always had a packed house on the weekends and had the usual little issues to deal with and some bad fights from time to time.

One night we had a usual uneventful night and we closed up shop and decided to go to an after party at the resort that the band was staying at. We cleaned up, had one beer while doing so, as was the usual, and headed out the door. I started to pull around to follow the band's van out of the lot and to the resort. When the van started to take off from it's parking spot it moved about 10 feet and stopped. I pulled up behind the van and noticed a young guy 22yrs old laying on the pavement behind the van. Turns out he had passed out under the van and right in front of the dual rear wheels. The Van was one of those large moving vans like U-haul, budget, and Ryder rent for moving. The wheels had rolled right over this kids chest and head. The lead singer jumped out and right away started trying to help this kid as I called 911. however there was nothing anyone could do for him as his chest and internal organs had been crushed. The ambulance arrived and tried to help him but he was already gone.

I think about it time to time when I hear stories like J-roc's but that's about it now. It's amazing at the details that I still remember like what people were wearing. It took some time until I didn't think about it on a regular basis but it does start to become more and more infrequent.

Best of luck and hang in there J.

 

[Bubba700]

Time and distance my friend. Had one of these sorta deals. 2 winters ago. Tolled a guy with us that was up from ut to stay out a spot on His sled cause of the conditions. Told him more than once. Didn't listen 2 hours later I was on the phone with his parents explaining their son was buried and mostly likly dead. 30 min later we pulled him out. Still see his face in his helmet in the snow 3 or 4 times a day. When it comes down to it there is nothing and I mean nothing you could have done different to help the young man live. He had the choice and it ultimatly cost him his life. It will get easier with time but it won't just go away and it will change you. Like Jeff C said. It will affect the way you see, drive and act. Prayers go out to ya bud.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

That sucks! Hope that time will heal all wounds!

 

[oonighttrain]

long story short.. my soon to be ex wife pulls out of the neighborhood about a year or so ago.. just at the intersection of the neighborhood and the main road she is 1st on scene of a horrible motorcycle accident. young guy (mid 20s) and his girlfriend (maybe 20) t bone a car that pulls out in front of them. girl is laying in the middle of the 2 lane highway not moving. guy is up against the curb gurgling blood.. she calls 911, they ask her to see if either was breathing.. she tells them the details. she calls me after 911 freaking out (she is no good with that kinda thing)... i run up there primarily to tell her to go home, she doesnt need to see this anymore.. medics show up, both were gone.. it was really a tough thing to see the medic run up to them and pretty much just say "its over".. to see 2 young lives end so quickly is horrible..

oh, another one..
worked at the cadi dealer. it was on a busy 6 lane road.. old man pulls out in front of a guy on a bike who was hauling a$$.. much faster than the sped limit.. anyway, bike t bones old mans suv.. helmet flies off.. parties over.. they let that guy lay in the middle of the fukkin highway for 2 or 3 hours while they did the investingation. traffic was all backed up then, unexpectidly, a car wheels up, stops in the median, the driver starts to freak out because he sees the bike laying there and the body covered by a sheet.. it was his brother!!! now that would be some really tough sh!t to deal with...

i dont mean to come off like an a hole or anything but, it just goes to show you.. it all could be over at anytime!! make the best of it!!

 

[triple]

It sounds to me like this kid's life ended the second that he hit the side of the truck. I am thinking more along thelines that these kids think that they are invincible and can't be killed. I firmly believe that when He calls you home, you go. Doesn't matter if you're laying in bed, jumping out of an airplane or outrunning a cop car on your dirt bike, his name was called. Have the feelings of loss for the ones that are left behind and continue on. One day, there will be a life sitting there waiting for you to save it.

I was driving in the Okanagan Valley in January a few years ago and this pickup passed me like I was standing still. ROad conditions weren't totally awful but it was January. THey fishtailed left and right, over corrected and ended up over the bank and into Okanagan Lake. I stomped on the brakes, jumped out of the car, ran to the shore of the lake shedding my leather jacket, wallet, cell phone etc. and dove into the water. The truck was on it's side and the water was up to the highest part of the door. THe canopy was floating upside down beside the truck. It had been sheared off when the vehicle rolled on it's roof on the way to the water. I grabbed the rear slider window and pulled the entire rear window and frame out of the truck. A tiny little baby in a car seat popped up to the surface first. I grabbed the seat with the baby in it, quickly checked to see if it was breathing (it was, in fact, it was screaming) and placed the baby on the floating upside down canopy beside me. I then pulled the driver and passenger out of the truck and swam them to shore. BY this time another motorist had stopped and was sitting on the shore receiving the wounded from me.

When the police finally arrived, I was told that the couple were on the run from them. It almost seemed like they cared less because of it. I simply asked to be able to go into the nearest town to change my clothes and they made me wait on the side of the road soaking wet in January until my story checked out. THey figured that I may have been some kind of accomplice. I never received a thankyou or anything from anyone because these folks were on the run. I was still proud for what I did to save them

You are having a problem with what happened because you care. THere isn't enough caring in the world. Keep it up.