Greetings, Everyone!
I hope you are all doing well today. I hope life is treating you well. I am often told that no matter what one person is going through, someone has it worse. Just know everything happens for a reason. We are supposed to gain something from every experience.
Today (Sunday, June 30, 2024) I come before you grateful to be alive. Yesterday afternoon, my father and I were involved in a major car accident right after we left a church retreat in Pennsylvania. See, we were heading back to our home state when tragedy struck. No, I was not driving the car, but I was the passenger. Unfortunately, the details are a bit fuzzy. Maybe it is because I am still in shock due to the nature of the situation. Here is what I remember: we were turning from one straight. We stopped at the stop sign and waited. As soon as we were about to turn right, a car that was coming straight from the main street accelerated and both vehicles collided. Sadly, our vehicle is definitely totaled. Likely, the other one is too. Thankfully, there were only minor injuries. Everyone survived. I am grateful for that. No matter the outcome, vehicles can be replaced. People cannot be replaced. I am happy to be living another day to tell my story.
At the time of the accident, we were in a rural part of Pennsylvania which had a lot of farmland. I do not really know where we were at. My father and I were almost stranded in PA. My sister had to drive across state lines to take us home. I am thankful for that. The AAA tow truck driver did not have room to take us home. We called our pastor who was unable to take off. We could not rent a vehicle as the nearest car rental place was closed. Being in a rural area, there were no nearby trains or buses. Nor were there cabs or other public transportation methods. Since my iPhone is programmed with emergency contacts, my parents, sister and one friend received alerts. My sister and friend called me immediately as soon as I finished speaking with the emergency dispatchers on the phone. My phone automatically called emergency responders due to the severity of the impact. Apple: thank you so much for this feature.
I texted my best friend of 25 years when we were at the church retreat and after the car accident. He has been great by repeatedly checking on me around the clock. This man has hung in there with me throughout so much. Everyone needs a true friend who will be with you through thick and thin. For me, he has been that. I have not had many friends in life. He is the best one I ever had. I love all of my friends. He has seen more sides of me than anyone else. We hang out more than anyone else. I love him so much more than he realizes.
I have been in contact with other people over the past couple of days. At the retreat yesterday, I also texted a different friend and co-worker. I did not contact her after the accident because I did not want her to worry about me. I am a bit shaken up, but okay. Today, I reached out to my director and another coworker to tell them about the accident. They have offered their support. Because I must deal with the insurance company and handle every aspect of this accident, I took Monday and Tuesday off of work. I rarely take off, and I have over 900 hours of leave I need to use or lose. I really need time to really process everything. I do have my bi-weekly therapy session this week, which is good. I will definitely need it.
To the parties in the other vehicle, I thank you all for checking on us after this unfortunate situation. I really hope your daughter is okay. Please ensure she receives help for any potential trauma. I experienced a lot of driving trauma as a child, which led to some of my driving issues as an adult. Trust me on this. Thank you for being civil about it. To the emergency responders involved, thank you for your service and assistance. To the tow truck driver, Tony, thank you for your kindness and patience. To our pastor, thank you for your help as well. It was greatly appreciated. We appreciate your hospitality and generosity in paying for our meal. To the diner staff, thank you for your kindness and hospitality. To my church family, I was happy to see so many of you at the retreat. I hope you all made it back home safely.
I took some photos of both vehicles at the time of the accident. Today, I had to take additional photos and video of our vehicle which had to be sent to the insurance company. I am honestly unsure of how we made it out of the car. The emergency responders were amazed the airbags did not deploy based on the impact of the accident. I know people who died in car accidents of less magnitude. We are truly fortunate. I am trying to find the positives from this situation.
I thank you all for allowing me to be vulnerable for a minute. I have been strong after this accident, and I am proud of myself. In July 2022, I was involved in a different car accident. I was the driver in that one. I was heading to my then part-time job. No, I was not at fault. That was a hard ordeal that severely traumatized me. It took months of fighting for that matter to be resolved. The other driver in that accident was a complete and utter jerk. Shortly after hitting my car, he was involved in another at-fault accident. I still have nightmares from that one. His insurance company made no effort to investigate my claim. It was not handled properly. I strongly believe in karma. I believe in displaying kindness as much as possible. We never know what anyone else is dealing with or internalizing. My grandmother always raised me to not react to horrible things, but to let God handle them. Religion plays a major role in my family’s lives. We were spared, and it could have been worse.
Please be safe in your travels. Live your life to the best of your ability. Tell people you love them. Spread love. It does not matter your race, ethnicity, gender, pronouns, age, political affiliation, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, etc. Just be a good human being. We all bleed the same blood. No one is above or better than the other. One of my favorite quotes comes from a song, “Ghetto Gospel,” by 2Pac: “It’s not about black or white, cuz we’re human. I hope we see the light before it’s ruined.” Thank you again for your love and support. It means so much more than you know.
Peace and blessings, Rayne Elise ❤ ❤
Discovery Journey 