And My Heart Stuttered!

You can always imagine what something would be like, but there are some things that you can never come close to understanding until you actually experience it for yourself! I have been in several vehicle accidents myself and to date the worst one was 5 years ago this December 9th. I was the driver and our youngest son, dangerously injured with head and facial trauma.

These pictures are from the latest accident in our family in which Daryl was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. The emotions that I experienced that evening when he called to tell us that he was not far from home and had been involved in an accident were far different from any imaginings! I believe that my heart stuttered!

Daryl had been out for a weekend of survival training with the Civil Air Patrol and was coming home when a deer leaped down off a high bank and his insticts kicked in. He slammed his foot on the brake to prevent a collision. It had rained torrentially not long before Daryl passed through this roadway and the roads were still very wet. The wheels locked and Daryl slid across the roadway and was dumped into a very large ditch. The Jimmy then tipped over on its' side. He was not traveling at an excess speed for which we are thankful as that type of momentum would have caused the vehicle to roll completely, perhaps even multiple times.

The vehicle was totalled by the insurance company.

Mark and I went the next morning to the accident site and took some pictures.

Daryl was traveling on the road coming towards you in the photo below.

The ditch is behind the STOP sign and in front of Mark in the photo below.

The vehicle was not mangled and Daryl was able to crawl out his window and drop down into the ditch under the Jimmy. The frame was twisted and the cost of repairs was too high though the vehicle didn't look too back.

Grateful for another time when God's HAND was quick to protect and we thank HIM that Daryl was spared injury.