It was a bright sunny Saturday afternoon and I had just finished up with my chores around the house. I decided I would go for a drive to clear my head and hopefully find something fun to do. The streets were relatively empty for a weekend which allowed me to leisurely cruise around without having to worry too much about traffic. I rolled down the windows to let the warm breeze blow through the car as I listened to some upbeat music. It was the perfect day for a joy ride.
After about 30 minutes of driving with no destination in mind, I ended up near the outskirts of town where some of the backroads were located. Thinking it could be scenic, I turned down a winding two lane road lined with trees. The trees provided nice shade which was a relief from the beaming sun. As I drove along, I noticed several turns in the road up ahead with no visibility around the corners. Knowing I should slow down, I let my foot off the gas to decrease my speed. Just then, out of nowhere, a large deer jumped into the road directly in front of my car.
I slammed on the brakes as hard as I could but it was too late. The deer collided with the front of my car with such force that it caused the airbags to deploy on impact. The collision sent the deer flying over the top of my car while my vehicle began to spin out of control on the gravel road. In a panic, I gripped the steering wheel tightly and tried to regain control but it was no use. My car continued to spin until I felt it begin to flip over onto its side. Glass shattered all around me as I braced myself for what was to come next. Within seconds, my car had completely flipped and rolled off the side of the road down a shallow embankment, coming to rest upside down in a crumpled mess.
At first, all I could hear was an intense ringing in my ears from the crash. I tried to move but felt a shooting pain in my left arm and right leg. Managing to peel my eyes open, everything was a blurred mess with the car now upside down. Broken glass covered my head and bits of the interior rained down on me from above. My seatbelt was the only thing keeping me from being tossed around further inside the crumpled vehicle. With my good arm, I fumbled for my phone which had fallen out of the cup holder, somehow undamaged. With shaky hands, I dialed 911 and prayed someone would be able to locate me quickly.
“911, what’s your emergency?” the operator answered.
“P-Please help, I’ve been in a serious car accident. My car is flipped over and I’m stuck. I think my arm and leg may be broken. Please send help!” I screamed, the adrenaline now kicking in with the realization of how dire the situation was.
“Okay sir, stay calm. Can you tell me where you are?” the operator responded in a calm yet urgent voice.
I described the winding road I had been on and mentioned seeing a small livestock grazing sign just before the crash but wasn’t sure of the exact location. The operator assured me emergency services were being dispatched right away and to stay on the line. I could hear trees rustling in the wind all around me with no other sounds for miles. Being trapped upside down alone in the woods was beyond terrifying. All I could do was pray help would arrive before things got worse.
After what seemed like forever but was probably only 10 minutes, I started to hear faint sirens in the distance getting louder. “They’re almost here!” I shouted to the operator, feeling a surge of relief. Suddenly the sirens stopped and I heard car doors slamming followed by voices calling out. “Down here!” I screamed as loud as I could, my voice growing hoarse. Bright flashlights started scanning the embankment and within moments two firefighters came into view beside my crumpled vehicle.
“Sir we’re here, help is on the way. Just hang in there,” one of the firefighters said reassuringly. They quickly assessed the situation and stabilized my vehicle to prevent it from shifting before the paramedics arrived. Within a few minutes, two ambulances pulled up on the road above and more help arrived. A crew set to work lifting and cutting me out of the wreckage while another started an IV line for fluids and pain medication. After what felt like forever harnessed to a backboard, I was finally freed from the crash. Cheers went up as I was pulled from the vehicle, tears of relief flowing down my cheeks in spite of the immense pain.
The paramedics rapidly assessed my injuries which included a broken arm, two broken ribs, a fractured leg, and lacerations all over from the glass. I was loaded into the back of the ambulance where they worked on stabilizing me for transport to the hospital. As we began moving, one of the paramedics gave me a once over with sterile wipes to clean some of the road rash and small cuts. “You’re one lucky guy, you know. That could have been a whole lot worse considering how bad the crash looked. Looks like someone was watching over you today,” he said with a kind smile. I couldn’t help but agree – I was beyond grateful to have walked away with my life after such an horrific accident.
Upon arriving at the emergency room, I was rushed into a trauma bay where several nurses and doctors swarmed to continue treatment. They quickly got to work addressing my numerous injuries including cleaning glass out of some deeper lacerations and casting my broken bones. Due to the impact and trauma to my body, I was kept overnight for observation even though thankfully nothing too serious was found. In the morning I woke up sore all over but alive, mind blown by how close of a call it truly was. When my parents arrived, the tears started all over again with relief and gratitude.
In the aftermath, I dealt with months of physical therapy to recover fully from my injuries. My car was declared a total loss and picking through the wreckage site was heart-wrenching. But every day above ground was a blessing and constantly reminded me just how fleeting life could be. While it took some time mentally recovering from the trauma, it also gave me a newfound appreciation for every moment. I became a safer driver hyper aware of animals that could dart into the road at any time and slow down significantly on backroads with blind corners. Ultimately the accident, while scary and painful, taught me very valuable life lessons about gratitude, caution, and making the most of each day. It could have ended so differently if not for the swift response of emergency teams who worked hard to save my life that day. I will be forever thankful.
Andrew Stroud