Yesterday, I had one of the most traumatic experiences in my life. I'm still a bit shaken up so it's hard to put this all down in words. My car had been making this weird noise for a while, but usually it's from it running low on oil. While I was away in Mexico with my mother my dad took it to get an oil change and work on the AC because it was just blowing hot air. I was leaving yesterday around 1:00pm to go pick up my best friend so we could get coffee and just have a nice afternoon. As I started my car I heard that noise still. I called my dad and asked him about it, he said "they changed the oil and said the clicking sound is a little part that needs to be changed but your car is still fine to drive, the noise is just annoying." I didn't think anything else of it, I left my house around 1:10pm and about 1:20 my air started to get hot again, I tried to turn the AC on then off, then put the windows down a bit and then left the AC alone and tried to ignore it. I was on fasttrak on the 91 West and so as I was getting a little annoyed I used my hands free app and told Siri to text my dad and say "The AC in my car lasted for about five minutes and now it's back to being hot." Within two minutes of this I heard a pop in my car. I wasn't sure what it was but then I started smelling gas in my vents. I started to pull my car over to the shoulder and it started smoking. The car turned off on me and I could turn the steering wheel. As I grabbed my phone off the holder I started to call my dad, as it was ringing the car started smoking and I jumped out of the car. My hazards were on and so was the car still. I called my dad freaking out telling him that "my car is smoking, dad what do I do?" He said "stay calm, I'm calling AAA." I said "should I call 911?" He said "I don't think you'll need to, but we'll see." About a minute later I started walking to the car to try to get my backpack from the passengers seat and the hazards had stopped and windshield wipers started going off and flames started from the car. I decided at this point I needed to back away from the car and call 911. As I was talking to dispatch she said "ma'am someone had already called us, an officer is on the way, take a deep breath it's going to be okay." As she said this in attempt to keep me calm I was already hysterical. As I'm on the phone with her a Santa Ana officer pulled up behind me and asked if I was okay, I explained to him the situation and he took my phone to talk to dispatch. In his attempt to keep me calm, we heard a huge pop and found that the airbag was being deployed and windshield exploded. As that happened he told me to get back and stood in front as to shield me from the bang. As we waited for the next few minutes the fire department arrived in attempt to put out the flames and Anaheim PD showed up and the Santa Ana officer said "I hope everything works out for you." And drove off. By this point I've already called my dad to tell him what's happening and he tells me he's about five minutes away. With the fastrak and freeway almost completely stopped, I didn't think he was gonna make t through. The Anaheim PD already came and asked the situation also and I explained to them what had happened through my tears and adrenaline. The officer put his arm on my back and said "this car and everything in it can be replaced, but we can't replace you." I finally heard words that helped me calm down. He then went on to say "I'm just glad you're okay." The next 10 minutes or so we waited as now two fire trucks and several firemen were putting out the car. A firefighter finally walked over and asked me for my drivers license and car insurance and everything else, but it was too late, everything was destroyed. As I began talking to him my father showed up and they took him to see the car. As he saw it they were taking out what they could find still together from my trunk. He looked at the car and walked over and said "are you okay" and I said yes as he hugged me. The next half hour was spent waiting for the tow truck, dealing with information and insurance exchange with the police and firemen and then finally taking what remained to my dads car. I walked over and took pictures and video of the car to see what was left and nothing was there. Behind the black ashes what remained was the foam of the seats. My backpack, my high school and college tassels, my Polaroid camera, pictures, my great grandmothers rosary, my college cap, my cds, my sunglasses, my rainbow sandals, my journal, blankets, iPod, and other things were just gone. was thankful to be alive but I'm still sad about the things I lost that I worked so hard for. I then proceeded to leave with my dad and head home. By the time I got home all I wanted was to see my mom. She saw me and we both broke down crying. She was terrified and I was still in shock. We talked about what had happened and the events leading up to it. Before I left it just felt like an ordinary day. This is what was left of my car. I was so mad because I had been getting cabin fever being home, and the time I finally decide to go out I almost died. I was still shaken for hours, not sure what to do with myself. I kept playing the day's events over and over in my head. I was terrified, all alone on the side of the freeway. Had I not acted fast enough I could have been in the car too. To think that if anything had gone differently, the outcome could have been worse. I am grateful to be alive, grateful for the person who called 911 for me, for the firemen who risked their lives to put my car out, and for the police men making sure I was safe and keeping me calm. I'm going to be 22 in two weeks, and to think that the enemy was trying to take me out. I don't see this just a physical accident, but a spiritual attack. I made it out alive. I am still very emotional and although I am comforted but the words and support of those around me, I think this is going to take some time for me to heal. This morning I have taken time to just sit in my word and soak on God's grace. I replay the events over and over in my head, I can't get this images out of my mind. I can still feel the fear I felt and the rush of adrenaline as I decided to fight or fly.
All the things I was worried about before I left yesterday, I can't even remember what they were. I am hanging on to my family and the ones who love me. I am even more appreciative for the life that I have and I can't imagine if things had been any different. I don't know why that happened yesterday, or what bad things usually happen, but I do know this. I know God was watching over me, I know he has a purpose for me, and I know he loves me.
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AuthorReggie is a college gradute with a degree in English. She loves traveling and hopes to one day stay on the battle field for missions. Life is a book and everyday is an adventure, follow her on this journey and see the world through her eyes. Archives
November 2017
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