Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Did You Say "I Love You" Today?

Did you tell someone that you love them today? Did you show someone today that they are a special person in your life? What would you say or do if you knew tomorrow was not coming?

Last night I was coming home from work. It was a beautiful evening and work had taken me to the country and a drive around the lake. I was following a SUV and we were cruising along not fast, just the speed limit on a two lane country highway in Kansas. In an instant the world exploded.

A one ton truck was coming the opposite way and all of a sudden it clipped the very end of a trailer being towed by a truck in front of the SUV. The one ton truck swerved directly into the SUV. A head on collision at 55 miles per hour. The two vehicles hit with such impact the both left the ground and spun around 180 degrees.

I slammed on my brakes and was barely able to steer around the truck while avoiding another pickup coming towards me. I stopped fifteen feet in front of the truck. The driver was half ejected from the truck and be was barely breathing. I called 911 and went to tend to the driver. His breathing hesitated and his eyes met mine. I reached down to his hand and lifted it in mine to check his pulse. He exhaled his last breath.

I went to the SUV and the driver of that vehicle obviously did not make it. I could tell from following he never knew what hit him. He didn't even have time to hit his brakes.

Still on 911 talking to the dispatcher I kept repeating that they're dying, they are dying, hurry. Emergency vehicles arrived quickly, probably 3 minutes. There were people stopping but the two drivers were already gone.

I was close enough that as I swerved to avoid hitting the truck, debris and fluids was showering down onto the hood and top of my truck. Broken windshield pieces and a windshield wiper were in the bed of my truck.

Life is a matter of seconds all strung together. One second later and it would have been me instead of the SUV. My life, his life they are all the same. Sadness grips another family that is unspeakable. When the name was released I looked on Facebook. He was a husband and father to three children. He was 39 years old. I have an unspeakable sorrow in my heart for someone I had never met until I saw him in the SUV.

No one expects it to be their day. Life is about seconds that mean minutes and turn into days. Seconds matter to each of us. We allow our seconds to tick by without telling and showing people how much they mean to us.

Did you say "I love you to someone today?" Did you show someone today that they are a special person in your life?

Don't let the most important second of your life tick away.

http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/271761781.html


11 comments:

Lori said...

Wow. What a harrowing experience for you and what a profound post. May those souls rest in peace. Thank you for sharing this.

Tammy said...

Quite poignant. Godspeed those two dear souls and God bless their families.

Tori said...

So sad to think of the children left behind, the Parents, spouses, so many lives changed in that instant.

Beautiful post Ron.

Annette said...

Oh Ron, this is just so tragic. I am sorry you were caught in the middle of it, but not surprisingly, you are open and receptive to the lessons to be learned here. So heartbreaking.

Syd said...

Ron, so glad that you are okay. You are right about life coming down to seconds. What a tragic thing to happen.

Cathy Taughinbaugh said...

I'm so sorry that you had to go through that Ron. I'm also sorry that two men had to lose their lives because of a driving accident. Great reminder to say "I love you" everyday, as we never know from one minute to the next what life will bring.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for staying with my father it really means a lot to me... I was his only child.. I am so sorry that this has happened. You have no idea what it means to me that my father had some one like you to stay with him... God bless you

Dad and Mom said...

Anonymous,

I am so sorry for your loss. There is no way I can imagine the pain of this tragedy. Myself and others that stopped tried to do anything we could, I just wish there was something more that could have been done.

I don't know if your father was in the red truck or the black SUV but know that there were people there for both of them, they were not alone.

With all my love and thoughts, Ron

Anonymous said...

Dad and mom,
My father was the driver of the red truck... you did enough, you called 911 and stayed with them. If it was for you who knows if anyone would have gotten there. My dad taught me how to drive on those roads and sometimes there isn't anyone out there... thank you again... I know my father would have appreciated it

Laura said...

Wow, what a tough moment and obviously you touched people all over the area. It surely is a moment by moment life we live, and often forget. I needed this reminder, and I thank you. God bless you for staying with the scene and showing that life matters. No matter whose life it is.
Laura

Raymond said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.