A horrible thing happened this morning. It may be even worse by now.
The Principal of our local elementary school (I'm on the School Board), her son and her son's educational paraprofessional were in a terrible auto accident this morning as they were enroute to a Special Olympics event in a school-owned vehicle. The Principal (mother) was life-flighted about 40 miles to the southeast to a hospital where she had blood leaking in her brain plus had to have heart surgery. I'm not sure of what other injuries there may be. Meanwhile, her son with Downs Syndrome was life-flighted 120 miles to the north to a children's hospital with major injuries. The paraprofessional has damage to her vertabrae of some sort.
I was contacted by the School Superintendent as he was racing towards the hospital. He asked me to relay the news to others on the Board as it happened that I was the first one he had tried to reach who actually answered their phone.
The bizarre thing about this type of thing in Smalltown USA that differs greatly from the rest of the world is the long list of links to others. First, the Principal's mother works in the County Appraisers office where I was headed when I received the call. The first person I see in the Courthouse works 40 feet from the mother as the Register of Deeds. She is related to the paraprofessional in the wreck and did not know about it. The paraprofessional's father is the Mayor. Meanwhile, I'm tempted to contact the Principal's brother-in-law who worked for me for many years. My phone goes off and I hear, "This is Holly". OMG, I'm thinking it's the Principal's sister. No, it's a Courthouse worker who didn't even know about the accident but works with the Principal's mother. Whew!! I send a text to my wife at her school which is over 40 miles away. She calls back and I ask if she knew anything about an auto wreck. Yes, it's already on the local TV stations with horrible photos and such but they aren't releasing any names plus Facebook is going nuts with photos and speculation. So, I give her what little info I had. A couple of minutes later she called back to report a Facebook posting by the mother of three of her school kids asking for prayers for her cousin, so she wants to know the connection. First cousin, I say and further explain. Check back with the School Superintendent's Office and get an update about the heart surgery and such. Finally, put in a call to the brother-in-law....no answer. My next stop is the Post Office where the Postmaster asks if I knew anything about an auto accident on the news. Her daughter-in-law is a first cousin to the Principal but didn't know who had been in the wreck. Stopped at the convenience store on the way out of town. The clerk who waited on me is the next door neighbor to the father-in-law of the paraprofessional.
So sorry to hear this news man. I will send our small town good vibrations your way.
To top it off, the Principal and my oldest daughter were classmates and close friends. Top of the graduating class. One of the other board members was just one year ahead of them in school. Another board member lived across the road from the Principal and her family for about five years. The links just go and on.
Just found out that the heart surgery went very well and the prognosis is better.
Turns out it was a five vehicle accident involving a semi-truck and dump truck and three cars. Another lady is in serious condition from one of the other vehicles.
> Just found out that the heart surgery went very well and the prognosis is better.
This is good news. My wishes are for more good news of healing and pain free recovery regarding anyone hurt in this wreck. :sun:
Angel, the son, Avery, is 12 or maybe 13 now. It turns out he has a dislocated hip, broken leg and several vertebrae with problems. So, you both have a giant pain in the YOUKNOW. Meanwhile his mother is being scheduled for a different surgery tomorrow.
During the weekend, in the Nevada cattle herd thread, I mentioned a fellow who had to watch his son die from a totally unexpected heart attack while elk hunting in the kind of territory where the cattle were in Nevada. Anyway, he has one daughter. She is the paraprofessional that was in the wreck today who ended up with a vertebrae problem.
Another weird link is that first thing this morning I had what seemed like a bizarre problem with my computer. My local computer wiz that I rely on is a brother of the Principal's husband. I was about to call him when the computer suddenly began working perfectly. Three hours later the wreck happened. I'm sure he is helping out any way he can considering his sister-in-law is in one hospital, his nephew is in a different one about 150 miles away from there and there is another young nephew and a niece that someone needs to be helping through this time.
Even though a tragedy in a small community seems to affect everyone, that might be a positive. With everyone so close and intertwined, support is also close and available.
I grew up in a tiny hamlet with a population of 400. But hey, it was the biggest town around. As a kid I didn't like the fact that everybody knew everybody's business. As an adult I miss those pleasant and secure days. I'm glad they're still around in places.
Prayers here for everyone involved up there.
I understand how you are feeling, in a way. The shootings in Kansas City (Overland Park) earlier this week took the life of my Uncle Bill Corporon, my 14 year old cousin once removed, as well as the life of one other person I was not related too. I am still trying to make sense of the tragedy and I can tell you my cousin Mindy (who lost her dad and son) is handling this much better than I would.
Cyril
That was a truly bizarre circumstance. I feel so sorry for your family. The shooter's only regret is that he didn't get anyone of the particular faith he was hoping to extinquish.
The other bizarre, bad thing going on in the KC area now is a random highway shooter. There have been over a dozen incidents in varied locations in the metro area recently. You are simply driving down the street and BAM BAM bullets are hitting your vehicle and possibly you, too. My daughter who lives there is limiting her travel as much as possible.
I am with Paden on this one.
I grew up in a small town of about 600. My mother and sister still live there.
It can be amazing how a small community pulls together, despite some of the in-fighting, to help those of their community in need.
Hang in there.
:angel:
> I understand how you are feeling, in a way. The shootings in Kansas City (Overland Park) earlier this week took the life of my Uncle Bill Corporon, my 14 year old cousin once removed, as well as the life of one other person I was not related too. I am still trying to make sense of the tragedy and I can tell you my cousin Mindy (who lost her dad and son) is handling this much better than I would.
I am sorry for your loss. 🙁 I want to give you an "AngelHug" so here ya go... :angel:
