Loss

[kimi]

I haven't been here in awhile; things have gone well, personally. My life was well on-track and was busy.

Last Saturday that all came to a screeching halt. I didn't lose a child, but my ex's cousin, did. The boy (not the ex) was the 21-year-old best friend of my youngest son, who had only recently found out that they were related. (Yes, it sounds convoluted.) Long story short ---the driver (my ex's cousin's son) swerved to avoid an animal on I-35 in southern Iowa. Caused a rollover x5 and the car ended up against a tree. The 2 passengers - out of 5 in the car - who weren't wearing seatbelts were flung from the car and killed. The 3 passengers wearing seatbelts survived. The relative, and an 18-year-old - a newlywed woman - died at the scene.

I can't begin to tell you the pain this has caused, but plenty of you know what it's like, I'm sure. The memorial at the university that these kids attended was held today, and it broke my heart. Such promise cut short. There are no words, really, and that's all I could tell the boy's mom.

What words could ever suffice? This is so painful. And my son would have been in that car if he hadn't had an assignment for a class. He's experiencing "survivor's guilt" and it's hurting so much.

Ya know, when your kids are little, you can patch up their skinned knees, their bruises from Little League, and the odd "teacher-from-hell".

Eh, just needed to vent. Use your seatbelts, folks, and never ever swerve to avoid any animal, no matter what. I love animals too, but when it comes to this type of situation --- common sense must prevail.

[rurallib]

1. So sorry for your loss. kimi

my daughter was in a rollover caused by an animal on the road - fortunately all 4 kids had seat belts on and walked away scared but unhurt.
Please wear your seat belts.

[marzipanni]

2. That is incredibly sad

When I was a little girl my neighbor and friend had a big cousin who was a kind of glamorous young woman we young girls admired. I only met her two or three times, then I heard the news that she had rolled her car on an island road and died, and they thought it happened because she swerved to avoid hitting a rabbit or deer.

My son is 17, and will take drivers' ed in the summer. Ever since he was out of a car seat he clicks his seatbelt before we roll, even used to say from the back seat, "Don't go yet, my seatbelt isn't on!", and I know he wouldn't let anyone tell him he shouldn't bother to use them.

I hope anyone who reads your post who has young drivers in the family will show it to them.

:hug: