My daughter's Junior Prom started with a T-bone...

[Jersey mike]

Yesterday was Junior Prom, the excitement had been building for weeks with her, all the planning and everything else that goes along with the event.

I was told to be home at 3:30 for photos.  I made sure I finished all the orders I could at the shop by 3pm and brought my niece who works in the office home with me for photos because my brother was swamped and wanted to see his God-daughter all dressed up.

Photos went well and she looked stunning. Her hair was perfect, her makeup was subtle but outstanding. She wore a blue dress with beautiful long ear rings that sparkled and her face was glowing.

Her date and his parents arrived and we all chatted for about 20 minutes while different photos were being taken, then I said my goodbyes, told the kids to be safe, and have a great time.

I went back to the shop to finish a few odds and ends when my niece comes running out white as a ghost and says "aunt Barbara just called, Gina was in an accident. Get down to the park" (where all the kids were meeting for more photos and meeting a limo bus). Only about 30-40 minutes had passed since we left the house.

The park is about 2 miles away, but Friday traffic is beginning on the narrow state highway. My heart is pounding, my mind is racing and I'm trying to drive like a sane person.

I'm about 2 minutes away and I get a text from my wife that reads "just her shoulder". Which is not like her to send a vague message, so I think she's in a panic.

I get to the street of the accident and turn right and see the car and park on the shoulder and some guys grass. The whole passenger side is crushed, and the EMT's are holding up a white sheet on the driver side. Gina was the passenger. The crowd of kids and parents were gathered about 50' behind the EMT's. The only thing I could think of was "Gina, NO!"

As I ran to the car a man in a red jacket tries to slow me down and says "You must be dad, relax she's OK" but I pushed past him and continued to the crushed passenger side of the car.

She had a small drop of blood on her right cheek and some minor scratches on the back of her right shoulder and a small cut and she's sitting there cool as a cucumber until she sees me and the water works start.

My wife was there with her sister standing in front of the car, Barbara was in her defensive mother mode. It turns out the EMT's were holding the sheet up to give Gina privacy because of her dress and they were trying to get her out of the car w/o revealing too much from the way the dress had a slit in the front.

What happened was my wife and her sister as well as the kids and the boy's parents were going to this park for photos with all the other students and their parents.

The boy's parents were in separate cars leading. Gina and her date were behind them. The boy's parents made the left into the park and the boy followed, but there was a SUV coming the opposite way. It T-boned them and spun the car around almost 360. The car was destroyed. Lucky it was only a 35mph road and that section of the road is so short (from the direction the SUV was coming from) he had to be at the speed limit.

After getting her out of the car and into the ambulance the EMT's gave her a good exam and were happy to report she was in good shape considering the damage to the car.

We had her taken to the local urgent care center where she was given a neuro exam and got 3 stitched on the back of her right shoulder for the small cut. Meanwhile through the whole ordeal, she's upset because she still wants to go to prom and her date is texting her. The kid wanted to come to the urgent care center and sit outside. His parents were a mess at the scene. All of Gina's friends gathered at the scene...kids we know well, just looking for info on how she was.

There was NO booze or drugs involved. as I said the boy's parents were in front of him and my wife was a minute or two behind.

The end result is she went to prom and we had her home my 12:15. The only way she was going to prom was if she came home after. There were original plans for the group of friends to sleep at one of the friends home.

While she was at prom, we got updates from her friends and her on how she was and were told the teachers were keeping an eye on her too.

Today she is sore but there is no sign of bruising or any other symptoms.

The car the boy was driving...and older model Ford Taurus. It took a hell of an impact and my daughter is home today with bumps, a few scratches and 3 stitches. I like to believe there were a few angels there too protecting them all.

The young man driving Gina was fine...scared and nervous but fine and the man driving the SUV was a bit shaken but had no apparent injuries.

[gordonv]

 

Prayers where on your side, my Friend. It can be very scary. Nothing like turning a fun day into a horror for the rest of your life. I take it the boy was unharmed then.


The vague text was to supply enough info, but not trying to over explain in writing. Seeing her would calm things down.

After my MC accident, I texted my wife to pick me up after work, across the street at the ER. She went home, where my son asked her where was I, why didn't you pick him up? Ha?? I had called him and spoke with him.

[old2soon]

Thank you GOD for Gina's safety. GOD had her in the Palm of HIS Hand. Purely as conjecture based on a Lot of years out there he just followed his parents on the left turn Without really Looking at oncoming traffic. Happy that both Young Ones are basically okeydokey. And you used to wonder Why your parents hair turned gray!  Again-Happy those young ones will continue to age. RIDE SAFE.

[Savago]

Damn... I can only imagine the terror of driving to the crash place wondering what happened (disclaimer: I'm a father of a teenager daughter, so I kind of relate to the pain).

Thank God she is ok and I hope she has a fast recovery.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I'm sure those were the longest 2 miles of your life. Had to be terrifying.


On a good note though, it kind of makes your backfiring motorcycle seem pretty minuscule . I'm glad everybody survived.

[Dave Ritsema]

Praise GOD.

I have seen that scenario play out multiple times during 28 years in the fire service and it rarely ends that well. Prayers for a complete recovery!

[NewValker]

Glad everyone is going to be ok Mike. I've gotten that call from both my kids when they were new drivers. Not fun.
Craig

[Rams]

Have also received that call (several times with my son).   Once with my daughter.

I know the feeling.   It's terrifying, I know. 

Thankfully, no one was injured seriously.   Hopefully, everyone involved learned something.

[cookiedough]

been there DONE that 2xs as well once with daughter age 16 and just recently with son age 16 as well.

I know accidents happen, but both instances were deer driving at night and I am pretty sure BOTH panicked when they saw the deer in the road and both overcompensated ran off the road doing minor damage to SAME fricking newer vehicle. 

Both were bawling their heads off and daughter had to call the police since she took out the mailbox of a property owner who reported it the next day destroyed in his yard.   

Needless to say both were not allowed to be driving at night for a long while ONLY if absolutely necessary NO more joy riding going to friends house in the country at night for a long while to come.  I did not report either accident with insurance company since 1K deductible and both took a big chunk out of my wallet for repairs.  If they do not like it,  I tell them to go buy their own cars from now on and pay for insurance and any repairs.  They be lucky they have a newer car to drive, but ONLY during daylight hours. 

Been driving for 30 years and besides a raccoon flattened like a pancake on my dads old 86 caprice classic with the left front tire (done good was a pack of them in the middle of the road only hitting one),   I have only taken out an old german shephard head on at night and the homeowner had to pay for the 3K in repairs. 

[wiggydotcom]

So glad it didn't turn out any worse, Mike. It will be a prom she never forgets. Sometimes we'd like to put our kids in a protective bubble but we just have to trust things will work out. 

So sorry the accident had to put a damper on what should have been a magical evening for Gina.

[Robert]

Wow I am so glad all of it came out ok, it was very fortunate for sure. I almost didnt want to read the story but glad it had a happy ending.

[cookiedough]

Yep, darn glad no one got seriously hurt.  Even at 35 mph, you can get seriously injured in a vehicle collision.  The only real accident been in that was involving a car collision was when I was driving my parents about 15 years ago in his 1986 caprice classic and I was stopped at a goofy intersection and this young lady was not paying attention with a yipper dog and very young infant in the backseat and she ran the screwed up intersection into my lane while I was stopped.  She hit my drivers side front hood/wheel area head on with her small pontiac sunfire and totalled her car while my dads 86 caprice only moved 2 feet over and needed hood and front fender repaired but was driveable home still.

Even that was jolting to all of us just moving the big car sideways 2 feet is all while she was also doing guessing 35 mph in a 25 mph speed zone.  So, yes,  consider your daughter and prom date lucky nothing more serious happened as far as injuries go. 

No matter how much we tell our kids to drive safe,  something always seems to come up beyond their control and usually not their fault like an inattentive driver or those DARN DEER.   Driving at NIGHT unless absolutely necessary in the country is a big no-no in our house - DARN DEER.

[Jersey mike]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for the responses.

Yesterday the house was full of her friends who wanted to just hang out with her, very cool on their part.

When I wrote the original post of the accident I left out that Barbara's hands were shaking to bad to send a detailed message to me and she said she couldn't even "make the phone work". She was literally about 30 seconds behind the accident, not the minute or 2 I posted. They had turned the corner to see the car destroyed.

The part which scared me the most was turning the corner to see the crushed passenger side and the EMT's holding up the white sheet, which I've heard is done in severe cases to block the view of bystanders of a severely injured person.

One thing I did leave out was the professionalism of the EMT's and the local LEO's. Their caring, compassion, patience and understanding were outstanding. The one officer knew exactly where Barbara was when I got there. After talking to Barb more about this, it turns out the man in the red jacket I first came across was an off duty EMT that lived just houses away. I made sure to shake their hands, look them in the eye and say Thank You, but even now I feel it isn't enough.

[Jersey mike]

Purely as conjecture based on a Lot of years out there he just followed his parents on the left turn Without really Looking at oncoming traffic.

This is my opinion also. A lesson learned the hard way. He'll never do that again. In a way I really feel bad for the kid.

[old2soon]

Purely as conjecture based on a Lot of years out there he just followed his parents on the left turn Without really Looking at oncoming traffic.

This is my opinion also. A lesson learned the hard way. He'll never do that again. In a way I really feel bad for the kid.

               As I stated in my response Thank GOD both those young uns Will continue to age.  I drove ambulance drove a wrecker and have done ride alongs with L E Os. And-yes-generally sheets are held up for "bad stuff". But I have held them up for a Ladies Decorum. As a Parent when you get one of "those" phone calls I KNOW what happens to us as Mom's and Dad's. As a past Ambulance and Wrecker Driver I Always headed out but most times not happy with what I dealt with. RIDE SAFE.

[Hooter]

Purely as conjecture based on a Lot of years out there he just followed his parents on the left turn Without really Looking at oncoming traffic.

This is my opinion also. A lesson learned the hard way. He'll never do that again. In a way I really feel bad for the kid.

You two are right!  Tough lesson and luckily,  nothing serious happened! I'm glad all are OK. As for the car, that doesn't matter.  This will be a prom to temember, right dad!