I want to share my story with you today in hopes that it will make you realize just how amazing and important our local emergency personnel are, and how they need and deserve our support. Furthermore, the reason why they need support from the community is to be equipped to serve us, the same community. That is one of the most selfless things, yet time and again they’re forgotten when they need help from us. Forgotten that is until someone needs them and their life-saving services. My story, unfortunately, is something that has changed my life in more ways than (I pray) you will ever understand.
I was on my way home from work one evening, as was normal, but this day would be far from normal. This day would prove to be catastrophic for me and my life was about to change forever. You see, at the same time that I was trying to make it home safely, I had no idea that at that moment someone who was driving while under the influence and being very reckless was also traveling that very road, heading in the opposite direction. I saw the car as it topped over the hill and realized that it was traveling directly at me, and I had just moments to react. She had crossed over into my lane and was heading straight at me, I looked to examine my options and I could not swerve to my left because another vehicle was also traveling on the road, if I swerved to my right I would have crashed into a residence. Therefore, my only option was to come to a stop, hoping that she would correct herself and maneuver into her lane before she would strike my car and because I was going the speed limit it seemed to be the best option for everyone, sadly my plan did not work as I had hoped because she was not aware of her surroundings and did not gain control of her vehicle or attempt to slow down. The driver struck my car head-on and she was traveling almost double the speed in the 35 MPH zone, so as you can imagine, although I was at a complete stop, when she struck me the impact was intense. My car was mangled and I was wrapped up it the metal wreckage, I found myself unable to move at all and any attempt made the pain and agony even worse.
So, I knew that my life was in the hands of God and those who have put themselves through the dedication and training that I found myself needing at that very moment. When you are in excruciating pain, it can make you judge time in ways that are extreme. For example, in my position of pain what seemed to be hours to me was minutes for the fire department to arrive. They immediately start utilizing the training they have gone through, I can see work going on all around me and I understand that I am completely at the mercy of those surrounding me.
Next, I see the face of a man who I have known for years, fire chief Kimble, climbing into a mangled mess with me and even through my screams of help and pain he remained calm and performed his duty with care and did all that he could to save my life. Thank God for men and women like them, who go into situations that most of us want to run from. Realizing that help had arrived started comforting me immediately, although probably not apparent through my pain. Because the impact was so severe, it took forty-five minutes to remove me from the wreckage; however, the rescue team never let up. They had one duty: they were there to help save me from this horrific ordeal, and they made me know that they would not give up until that was accomplished.
I will also never forget the wonderful help and kindness of Officer Hissam, a true gentleman. He not only did he do his sworn duty that evening (and did it well), he also went above and beyond the call by coming to the hospital on his own time to see how I was doing. He also visited me when I was finally able to return home. Buckhannon’s fine men and women of enforcement and rescue are the epitome of what true bravery and heroic action is, and they truly do protect and serve us, even while treated with so much disrespect. Which brings me to the reason why I am sharing my story with you.
I am here to plead with you to financially help our local emergency departments as much as you’re able, as often as you’re able. Because the next story about their heroic actions could be yours, or the next life that might be saved is that of a loved one.