You know whenever you do something fun & adventurous you most always put your personal safety at risk. My boys have tried to talk me into buying dirt bikes for awhile now (of course Stan already agrees). I've seen the way they accelerate around up and over hills, rocks, & boulders with 4 wheels. Why would I want to increase their risk by reducing the number of wheels. Well this time it wasn't our carefree teenagers, it was the reckless 49 year old.
It all started last Saturday on a fun filled outing with the boys to catch the last glimpses of fall in the mountains. We went up to Wallsburg to show the boys the trail to Daniel's Summit. The colors were beautiful, the smells exquisite, and the company couldn't get any better. It should have been a sign to us when we saw people riding around on ATV's with bright orange vest with guns fastens to them(the first day of the deer hunt). We ate at Daniel's Summit Lodge restaurant for lunch and then headed back up the mountain to shoot the BB gun at a water bottle target. Our trip was just about finished when we experienced our miracle. We had to park our car & trailer at the side of the road because there was no parking lot. The trailer was kind of on a slant and the bottom of the ramp was slightly lifted up. Spencer and I came down first and loaded the first two machines without any difficulty.
Stan wasn't so lucky. Imagine this scene in your mind. It happened too fast for me to get on film. He started going up the ramp (that was at an angle). When he got to the top of the ramp the machine did a 180 degree turn and landed with Stan underneath it (yes, the 4-wheeler was on top of Stan). Spencer & Benson witnessed it and acted quickly by pushing the machine off Stan. His ankle was twisted in the handlebars (which Spencer set free). I was putting sleepy Jacob in his car seat and caught only the last of it. A guy across the street ran out of his truck to help. I was for sure I would have seen a very wounded if not dead husband. His guardian angels were working over time that day. He landed on a very rocky ground and walked away from this accident without a broken bone, stitches, or major lacerations. I asked Stan where he hurt and he said a better question would be "Where don't I hurt". He responded my left pinky toe. Stan is quite remarkable to be able to face something like this with humor and dignity. When we all got done laughing and making jokes about Stan flying through the air we realized in a more solemn moment the miracle we had witnessed.
The night before the accident Stan had offered the family prayer. Spencer, Benson & I couldn't help but almost crack up during the prayer when he said, "we are thankful to be able to live one more day". The next day we commented how fitting that prayer really was.
Is this not the cutest picture ever? Stan had to drive down the mountain one-handed while he held Jacob's big helmet from bobbing up and down.
Our very brave and undestructable Stan, smiling amidst the pain of having a 4-wheeler land on him. Our prayers have more meaning today. Remember to be careful and be safe. Never take having fun for granted.
4 comments:
I am definitely grateful to those guardian angels. I love my dad and I am so glad that he did not get seriously hurt. That really is a miracle. It is moments like these that make you more aware of the ones you love and appreciate them more. Thanks for sharing your miracle.
This post brings back nightmares for me. When Mike and I were just newly married (less than a month) we went four wheeling up Millville Canyon with some friends.
We got quite far up the canyon when my 4 wheeler shifted into reverse and wouldn't stop. I went down a very steep raveen backwords, landing in a river with the four wheeler on top of me, pining me down under the water. I've never been so terrified in my whole life!
Our friend Dan acted quickly, sliding down the steep sides of the canyon and freeing me from my 4wheeler trap.
A miracle happened that day two as I wasn't hurt worse than some pretty deep bruise on my pelvis and pain all over. It was quite a job getting me and the machine back up the raveen.
Where was Mike during all of this you might ask? He was way up ahead, having left his new bride to fend for herself. When he finally realized we weren't behind him, he came back looking for us to find his wife sopping wet and crying. Despite that, he still sent me down the mountain alone to stay at his mom's house so he could finish his ride. Not such a good idea Mike! (See he wasn't always perfect!)
It was a learning experience for all of us. Mike learned to be a very attentive husband (after facing mine and his mother's wrath upon returning home) and I learned to have a healthy fear of 4 wheelers in a steep canyon. I'm much more careful on them than I was before and I'm very careful when my childen are around them. I know things can happen very fast. People do die on those things ya know!
I'm so glad Stan is safe and you came home with your family all in one piece. I hope he doesn't hurt too long. Be careful!
Love you guys!
He's definitely a lucky guy!! My boss wasn't so lucky-he was driving a 4-wheeler down in central utah with his oldest son (trying to teach him to drive...). They were going about 45 mph and he did a sudden turn and they both were thrown off the 4-wheeler and it tipped onto it's side. It's a miracle that it didn't roll onto his son and hurt him. His son, Jordan, was ok besides scrapes and major bruising. Dr. Doman had so cuts and that was it besides a major injury right below his right knee.
The hospital stitched it up (on the inside and out!) and sent him home with antibiotics. It never got better and he just had to have knee surgery a few weeks ago! He's 34 and has already had knee surgery-it was pretty scary but has now healed up nicely. At least no one was killed. Thank heaven for ministering and guardian angels!
***I did hear about Brittney! Congratulations on another grandchild and I'm very jealous that she isn't sick at all and how good she looks!!! :D***
I will definitely be asking you to write my letters of recommendation. Thanks for making me look so good. Your family has a lot of fun together. I love reading about you and what you all are up to. Beautiful place setting! And very cute Pilgrims and Indians. I could have done without the picture of Stan's gashed finger.
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