If happiness is a disease, for the sake of mankind, keep smiling; it may be contageous!
Do you choose to be a hero or do you rather not get involved? These are questions that have recently hit me between the eyes when my twelve-year-old nephew was critically injured along a country road when he fell off his bike and his handle bar impaled his leg. When he and his friend were riding their bikes to another friend’s house, they were chased by a large dog. The animal was unprovoked, yet he chased the boys away from his property as they raced down the road. On their way back from their visit, the boys feared being chased by that large dog and they sped past that house as fast as they could. During that process, the youngster’s chain popped and he fell; forever leaving a grizzly memory of such a freak accident.
The two young boys were alone and neighbors could hear the child screaming in pain. It was later reported that one woman phoned 911, but refused to investigate someone in dire need of help. The woman is the mother of a former high school friend of my niece, the injured boy’s sister. The former friend phoned my niece to make sure that she heard that her little brother was just airlifted to the hospital and that there was so much blood at the scene that it looked like a homicide investigation with cops taking pictures and collecting evidence. She also admitted to my niece that her mother could hear the screams, but just didn’t want to get involved. She did her duty by phoning 911 and felt that was good enough. She also added that her mother is furious with the injured boy for making her neighbor cry, the owner of the dog, when the Sheriff cited her for not having her animal on a chain. My very pregnant niece hung up and raced to meet the rest of her family at the hospital.
While feeling alone in the world during the crisis, the very brave friend compressed the gaping wound with a t-shirt. He was screaming for help as he watched his friend drift in and out of consciousness. He lost a lot of blood. As luck would have it, a woman in a red Jeep came upon the boys in the road. The friend ran to the center of the road and flagged the driver down. He refused to let her get away. She works at the local hospital and has some medical training. She phoned 911 and became hysterical when she was having trouble finding a pulse. She truly thought the boy was dead. The paramedics came and summonsed the helicopter.
My nephew was in surgery for nearly four hours. Luckily, he missed the femoral artery. He did nick a nerve, which the surgeon is confident will recover. The handle bar severed a secondary vein, which is why he lost so much blood. They were able to repair the vessel. Right now, he is in ICU and fighting infection. They cannot give my sister a time frame of when he is able to go home. He will be on blood thinners for 3 to 4 months with hopes of preventing blood clots. It broke his heart when he was told that he could not play football this fall. He is going into seventh grade and he has waited for this sporting opportunity for a very long time. He wants to be athletic like his big brother.
Meanwhile, my sister has been answering phone calls in his room and keeping those concerned updated on his condition. The newspaper called to ask permission to use the child’s name. My nephew wanted it to say in the paper that his best friend saved his life. The last thing he remembered was seeing the red Jeep stopping near his head. So many people from my sister’s work had called, sent cards or flowers. I cannot help feeling outraged that “those” folks who knew that two little boys were in desperate need of help and chose not to get involved NEVER inquired about the boy’s condition. They are more upset with feelings of being victimized by the justice system for getting a dog citation. What have we, as a society, become?
I continue to pray that my nephew heals completely and that my sister and her family can regain somewhat of a normal life. Also, may God Bless all the heros in the world who choose to help without giving it a second thought!
God Bless you all,
Anne Maisy Scott
Independence Day is a time for celebration and excitement. It is also a time for cookouts and just hanging with friends. In this small, St. Johns, town tragedy took the life of one sixteen-year-old boy and one fighting for his life. Four friends were going to meet up at one of the boys' house; one drove his truck while the other three piled into the SUV. They traveled in separate directions, but tragically met fatally at an intersection when their vehicles collided in a fiery crash.
My daughter and her circle of friends know the four boys. They anxiously await the "All Clear" from the hospital for one classmate, while they prepare to attend the funeral of another. Luckily, two of the boys were not seriously injured...physically. This tragedy will not leave the hearts and minds of the community anytime soon.
I worked with the child's grandmother and the news broke my heart. This is a wonderful family and I pray that God will see them all through this very painful time. The loss of a child is the absolute "unthinkable!" Mentally preparing myself for the boy's viewing, I never know what to say. I met him three years ago while I volunteered in his 7th grade Life Skill's class helping them sew their pillows. I remember him grossing out his classmates by sticking straight pins through the calluses on his hand. I laugh because sewing must not have been his "thing."
I giggle at the thought of him being the one student giving his teacher a run for her money! He was a funny kid and full of life. He pushed the envelope on occasion and my daughter will remember him by his throwing Gob Stoppers at her during a movie in Lansing. She said she will always think of him when she watches Scary Movie 4. Of course, she was flattered that he gave her the attention in the first place.
An Independence Day Tragedy
His excitement was high
As he ran out the door,
Racing to meet up with his friends,
He was a lively fellow and far from a bore.
A brand new driver at the wheel
No chaperone in sight,
Lives would change forever
On one Michigan 4th of July night.
Dust marking his trail
Down the country dirt road,
Missing the stop sign and striking
Another precious load.
Little did he know,
He struck his three friends.
The four sixteen-year-olds’ night
Came to an abrupt end.
One left in critical condition
While two walked away,
This anxious young man,
Sadly, will not see another day.
The sound of the crash, for those involved,
Will forever replay in their minds.
A small town prays and grieves for the families and friends,
Wishing a moment in time they could skip or rewind.
A shrine marks the corner
And he is missed everyday.
A tragic reminder to hug your children tight,
As they grow and travel down the road of life
In their own special way.
A grieving father once said,
“Our children belong to God, they are truly not ours.
Love while you can, because life moves too fast..."
This young boy will be missed and loved from afar.
Anne Maisy Scott 7/6/07
In Memory of Justin Fox—7/4/07
www.lsj.com
