"Hey mom, I was just asked to share a story at Union's The Naked Stage series this Friday. Can I go?"
"Sure...just don't be out too late."
It was a rainy Friday evening, I was driving South on Dallas North Tollway heading to
Union where I would be presenting a story as part of The Naked Stage storytelling series. The theme of the night was "_________ Up", and the presenters would fill in the blank. I was going to fill the blank with Pony, and talk about the five things that make an SMU Mustang a true SMU Mustang. I had my speech ready, and then I hydroplane...
I lost control of my car, hit the median, spun out, and my car rolled over twice. My car would have made Simone Biles envious of its acrobatic talent. As I'm flipping uncontrollably, I think about what I could control, and I remembered everything I learned in Drivers Education about what to do when in a crash. So I hold on to the steering wheel as tightly as i can and keep myself safe.
Once my car comes to a stop, I notice I am upside down, and there's broken glass everywhere. I immediately reach for my phone to call 911 and tell the dispatcher my location and what happened; medical personnel are on their way.
To my surprise, I am greeted by four men who saw the accident or saw the aftermath, and wanted to help me get out of the car and be safe. One of them calls my mom, while the other three are trying to keep me from going into shock and understand what happened. Another random person shows up in a moving truck and gives me a blanket to keep myself warm in the rain. These men were heroes. I never asked them to help; they simply saw someone in need and stepped up. If anyone knows who these strangers are, please help me reach out to them. They saved my life.
After the ambulance arrived, I was put into the back and was asked a series of questions: some were to gauge my level of consciousness and others were to find out what happened. The paramedics were removing shards of glass out of my face, head, neck, arms, legs, and torso. When we arrive to the hospital, the medical staff makes me take test after test and go through imaging process after imaging process. Finally, I was diagnosed with a concussion and serious bruising along my torso and pelvic area (where the seat belt make contact with the body).
Now, I have to stay in bed for several days without doing anything. I can't watch TV, I can't be on my laptop, I can't use my phone, I can't even read! The next few days are going to be a real challenge for me, but hopefully I'm able to recover as soon as possible.
On the bright side, my car may be totaled, but at least nobody else was hurt. The road was clear, and I didn't have any passengers. I even asked my brother if he wanted to come, and his stubborn self said no...what a blessing.
I never got to share my Pony Up story, I guess I'll start writing a a new one: Buckle Up.