It’s hard to believe it’s been one year.
We almost lost our sweet boy last Labor Day. It was a freak accident. A moment of regret and sorrow, but an accident none-the-less. In an instant, a fun, family day turned to tragedy as my 4-year-old son was under the wheel of our SUV. My husband flies an air medical helicopter and immediately called dispatch to call in a pilot, his buddy and coworker, who was heartbroken and surprised to see us. I hit the ground in full panic, scraping my knee. What if he dies? WHAT. IF. HE. DIES.
When I was a kid and I was experiencing a hard time, I would think of some future event in time to help me get through it.
By the time this test if over, track season will have started. I can make it.
When this paper is due, it will be Thanksgiving break. I can do this.
I lay in the PICU, staring at my bloody knee. When my knee stops bleeding, my son will be awake.
When my knee scabs over, my son will be out of the PICU and will be able to open his swollen eyes.
When my scab gets dry, my son will get his feeding tube out.
It sounds weird (and super gross), but it helped.
We watched him fight. We watched him work so hard in physical therapy, even though he was scared and it hurt his body to move. It was the worst thing I had experienced. I would take the pain. I would take everything. It was torture.
He showed me what it was to be brave. To do something when you don’t want to or think you can’t. You do it anyway.
And now.
He is perfect. He was alway perfect, of course. All the bones are healed. All the cracks, bruises and scrapes are repaired. The human body is even more marvelous that I realized. He jumps higher, laughs louder and tells even more silly jokes than before. I asked him last night if he remembers his stay at the hospital.
Not really, he tells me.
The remaining mark of his accident is his right front tooth is slight lower the left one.
To celebrate today, we took him to his favorite restaurant. We got him his favorite dessert, cheesecake (good choice!). We bought him a Paw Patrol toy he has been eyeing and doing extra chores to earn. Labor Day will forever be a special day for us. Not to remember the tragedy of the accident, but to remember how blessed we are, that family is the most important thing, and that THIS KID IS AWESOME.
Happy Labor Day,
Blessed
Hi Beth, what a beautiful story of bravery, true fear and one cute little toothy grin. Thanked God for His goodness in protecting your son, and allowing me the joy of reading your blog. Have a good day!
Thank you so much Pam!
Your family is surely blessed. I am so glad your son survived and is healed. I am also happy that he doesn’t remember the ordeal he went through. The strength you have, as a family, is amazing. God Bless you all. And you have such a handsome, courageous son.
Thank you so much Vicky, your kind words are very much appreciated!
Your story is heartbreaking and then heartwarming. So blessed it turned out so well. The human body is an amazing thing and so is the human heart💕
So very true! It’s quite amazing what people can do. I think we sell ourselves short most of them. We are stronger than we think.
Never knew this part of your story. God Bless you and your little boy. Awesome news he is well and perfect!
Thank you Margo!
So happy for you that your son has recovered.
Thank you Sarah!
You are truly blessed. Our children are our future. We love them unconditionally and, when they hurt, our hearts are ripped asunder. Please know your family is in our prayers.
Yes I am. Thank you for your prayers and kindness <3
So blessed.
Thank you for sharing this. He is a remarkable young man with an inspirational mother! Happy Labor Day!
Thank you!
So thankful your story had a happy ending here! As a mom to 4 very active boys (and my youngest is 4 now), I can only imagine the heartbreak of seeing your baby go through this. So many things can happen in an instant… it keeps me awake sometimes. You never know what you’ll do to get through it, and you hope you never have to find out. Congratulations on this anniversary! You’re one lucky momma!
Yes, it’s very scary. I always thought if someone was going to get hurt it would be my second. She darts into traffic and runs without looking back. We were one of “those” parents who got the leash backpack for her. It was essential to keeping her safe and she had an incident at the zoo last year that still haunts me. Being parents is so hard, but worth all the heartache! Thank you for your kind words of encouragement!
Such a raw, heartfelt post! Bless you all for what you have been through, n always cherish the gift of your son’s survival (silly to say, I know you DO!) Let every Labor Day be an anniversary to let the people in your life know how much they mean to you, because, as you have experienced, they may be taken from you in a heartbeat <3
Thank you! It’s crazy to say this, but it’s been a blessing (now that we are through it and healed from it). It has made everything have more meaning, and I hope I can hold on to it. I am grateful to have the yearly reminder of my precious baby, and that family is the most important thing!
What a true miracle! He’s precious!! God is good, all the time! 💙
Thank you! Yes He is!
Beth, I am so happy for your family that your son’s life was spared and his body restored. Thank you for sharing such a heart-wrenching, heart-warming story.
Thank you very much Connie.
So glad all is well with ur son. So scary!?
Thank you so much!
Wow i coyldnt even imagine that…holy cow…he has some angels who were looking out for him that day thats for sure…im glad he is ok and back ro his usual self…people don’t 3erealize how easily that can happen.. especially wirh the bigger cars bit the small ones cam b just a bad…..it only takesa split second…when ever my son (hes 8)and i walk through a parking lot i am constantly telling him people can not see him over their trunk lids or out of their windows so he needs to watch for cars…
Exactly! I do the same with mine. I am terrified for when my kids are old enough to walk to the school or park, hoping drivers will be safe with children crossing the street. Children are practically invisible to a driver of a car. I won’t forget this miracle we experienced, very blessed.
How very scary for your family but how very blessed you are to still have the chance to make many more special memories. God is good and today as I pray I will add you family for more strength and protection, and thank Him for His gifts to your family! I’m so very happy for all of you!
Thank you so much Ginger! Your words are very kind, and I appreciate them very much.
Awwww I am one glad your little man has made a full recovery and that he is an awesome kid too! Kids are special and he has showed you how!
What is his name? ( if it’s ok to ask) no worries if not I understand!
secondly I am glad I saw your post on your crochet blog and I for one would am really happy I saw the message there because I didn’t know you had this life blog xxxxx
Hugs and happy days xx
Thank you Samantha! It’s rather brand new, I wasn’t even going to put it in the group yet, but I felt I really wanted to share this story and it seemed like a good time. I appreciate that you read my blog! You don’t know how much it means. Thank you for your kind words <3
God Blessed you and your family! Rejoice!
Thank you!
What a wonderful yet heartbreaking story. It brought memories back. I know that feeling wanting to trade places with your child. Our was a blessed outcome too. Sadly it doesn’t always happen. My son had a brain tumor & we were told he may only live 2 months. We opted for surgery. It wasn’t cancer but embryotic tissue. Most likely a twin that never devloped . My son in his teens had his whole life ahead of him. Your son does too. What a beautiful anniversary. A special celebration. Thank you for writing your heartwarming story of this chapter in your families life.
Oh my goodness. That is the most terrifying news and what a blessed outcome. Thank you for sharing that story with me. Another reminder that God keeps us in His hands, even when the outcome isn’t what we want. Have a wonderful week and thank you so much for your kind words.
I’ve only been reading your blog for a short time, so this story is kind of like reading the last chapter of a novel first and feeling the joy of the happy ending without all the detail of a difficult journey. So glad your little man is happy and healthy. Kids are so resilient, and recover emotionally from these things so much quicker than parents do! My daughter had a difficult illness as a toddler, and it still brings tears to my eyes when I think how we almost lost her, and she is 26! Keep celebrating love, and life and healing!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful words! I believe I will also get tears every time I think of our experience as well. But it helps us appreciate how precious life is, and I am grateful for that realization!
The resilience of children never ceases to amaze me. Their little bodies can handle so much, and mend so beautifully, and in most cases their minds will release the pain and terror so they don’t have to live it over and over. Your family is blessed and I’m so happy for all of you. Hopefully you will never have to deal with a fear like this again. Bless you all.
They truly are SO strong. Stronger than us, for sure. Thank you for your kind words!
These events – no matter how painful, scary and heart stopping they are always results in something positive.
What a horrific event for you, your husband and your whole family.
Glad you were blessed with your boy coming out of this the way he did!
Oh my goodness, I just read this when I was looking at one of your wonderful patterns. Praise God your little man is here and perfect!
I understand the nightmare that started at the instant. When my son was 12, he was out quail hunting. He is left-handed and as he pulled the trigger on the shotgun it exploded. It was a miracle he was the one using it at that point because it would have killed his right-handed brother. He lost part of his hand and one piece of metal embedded in his neck.
He is now an adult and a Captain for a fire department in Oregon. I am sure he had moments he remembers. But mama will never forget the minute she thought life was over as she knew it.
God bless your family.