When I think what could have happened last night, I’m still thanking God.
We all know how that last day of moving goes. Loads of fun, right? It doesn’t matter how well prepared you are. There are always dozens of boxes that need to be packed at the last minute, everyone is exhausted, and there are hours ahead of you before bedtime.
By the time the truck is nearly loaded, you’ve likely approached the “throw it all away or into a box” and just be done mindset. It was right about then when we realized that the washer and dryer, treadmill, and a small couch weren’t going to fit onto the truck.
I’m seriously impressed by how much our guys actually managed to fit onto the truck! Fortunately, thanks to the reach of social media, those items had happy new homes with local friends within a few hours.
After a very long day of packing, loading, and taking multiple runs to Goodwill with endless donations, I headed to the airport to pick up a friend who was flying in to help Sean with the drive to Ohio.
The flight had been delayed by several hours, and by the time I got to the airport, it was after 9:00pm and the plane was just landing. I waited in the cell lot, as you do, and when he texted me he was at the curb, I went to pick him up.
I waved to him at the curb and pulled over. At the same time, the man in front of me, opened his door to get out and his car slid into reverse from park. We still aren’t sure how that happened, but when it did, the door knocked him over and the car started rolling backward.
The driver’s arm tangled in the seatbelt as he hit the ground and it pulled him underneath the car right as his vehicle slammed into mine. It was terrifying. I jumped out of the van to see if I could help or call for help. Another man ran over and the driver asked us to help him get the car off his foot.
I sat on the street behind the driver to support his back, while the other man climbed over him to get into the car, so he could roll the car forward. All of this happened within minutes.
We helped him back onto the seat of his car and at that point, I realized I was shaking pretty hard. The driver’s wife had been about to get into the car when she saw him fall and slide under the car. I can only imagine her terror having felt the scare on my end.
She came around the car and at that point, there was no way I wasn’t going to hug this poor woman. She was just so grateful he hadn’t been crushed and trying to apologize for the vehicle damages.
At that point, all conversation broke down and I just hugged her for a moment. I couldn’t have cared less about my vehicle. I shared the relief that his injury wasn’t worse.
Over the next hour and a half, we spoke with several police officers, paramedics, and each other. The paramedics told us that my being there when I was saved his life. Due to the way he fell, if his car had rolled farther back, it likely would have crushed him.
I cried grateful tears at that point and I’m teary now as I thank God again for the flight delays, traffic, and everything else involved in our crazy moving day that put me at the airport at just that moment in time.
Through it all, my vehicle was only damaged cosmetically, the headlight wasn’t even broken. While this was obviously not the way any of us wanted to spend our last night in Phoenix, I am grateful today for a banged up vehicle that is on its way to Ohio.
The kids and I flew to Columbus this morning and Sean will meet us here on Wed night. I’ve been grateful for so many things that have come together to make this move possible, but more than anything right now, I’m grateful for the car accident along the way.
