Don't Drink and Drive ! ! ! !

[willditka]

you haven't heard from me in awhile because, several weeks ago, i was involved in a near fatal accident. I was on my way to work one night (overnight shift), and a drunken 17 year old kid, crossed the center line on a country back road and slammed head-on into my car. The force of the impact destroyed the entire front of the car and most of it was lying in the roadway. Estimated speed of travel prior to the crash was 85-90 miles per hour and i was traveling at the posted speed limit of 35 miles per hour. To further complicate matters, my Fiat was literally tossed up against a tree line and the entire passenger side of the car was destroyed. i had various cuts and bruises, four broken ribs, a fractured knee cap (my knee was pressed up against the twisted steering wheel for an hour while the rescue squad attempted to free me from the wreckage) and a shattered ankle. I will be out of commission for quite awhile. Healing, physical therapy, a few operations to repair bone damage and being confined to bed for possibly months (i hate going to the bathroom in a bed pan while a nurse stands by the bed...really?).
The 17 year old who hit me was able to jump out of his car and fled into the woods nearby but was so drunk, he passed out 50 feet into the woods and suffered from alcohol poisoning. Too bad he didn't die from it. Sorry, i now have anger issues towards people that i didn't have before but this guy deserves my anger...i almost died! Think twice about drinking and getting behind the wheel of a car...please!

Long road ahead of me.
Y'all take care and keep promoting Elvis as much as you can. The newer generation just has to discover how great this guy really was and just how big he was in the music business and how well loved he was by his fans...and still is.

[Johnny2523]

Damn!!! that's quite the sad story, You take care of yourself.

[jurasic1968]

Take care and be healthy again.

[robbie]

They get pissed out there brains and think they can drive and at that speed crazy ain't good enough word, now you suffer and got to get though this because of that idot, good luck one day at a time

[TJ]

Glad that it wasn't worse. Take care.

[keninlincs]

Get well soon brother.!

[lovin' EP]

This is just so tragic for you and your family. I just don't understand what this world is coming to. Our young people of the future are just stoned out of their heads with liquor and drugs. I pray for them all and I pray for your complete recovery. So sorry this happened to you.

Linda

[sweetangeline]

I pray for your complete recovery...and much, much harsher punishment for the choices some people make...unrelated here in Canada there is alot of talk from the bigwigs with regards to making cell phone use while driving a "criminal act" instead of just a driving infraction...it`s the #1 cause of accidents here!!

Get well soon

[MoodyBlue1963]

It's really sad what happened to you. I hoge you get well soon, willditka.

[r&b]

wow. sorry. people that drink and drive and actually cause accidents should be treated as would be murderers or murderers if fatal. Lost 2 friends that way since the 70s

[Tornado]

Get well friend, take care . I can't but feel like you do towards those irresponsible drivers who put other's people at risk they should be held accountable for their careless deeds.

[TINML]

Best of luck in your recovery and I hope that little **** gets his in jail.

[drjohncarpenter]

So sorry to read of your accident, but it is good that you survived, and will recover. Alcohol is the worst drug, and your story just proves it once again. I agree that if you drink, do not drive. I have donated to this non-profit organization, perhaps some here will do the same:

MADD - Mothers Against Drunk Driving
http://www.madd.org/

The mission of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is a nonprofit organization in the United States.

[Juan Luis]

Hope you get well soon.

[EPA4368]

We're all thinking about you and wishing you a speedy recovery. ... Hang in there, better days are coming.

[Mister Moon]

Get well as soon as possible, stay strong.

[Robert]

Lucky bastard! You made it!
Listen to some relaxing music while you recover.

All the best and enjoy life.
Crazy stuff like your story, but also things like London today happens too often.

[Rob]

On March 5, 1994, my wife left for work reminding me that in a couple of days she was going to get a crack repaired in her windshield. Thirty minutes later, she had no windshield and never made it to work. She was hit head on by a guy who had been drinking. He was thrown from his convertible and killed instantly. He was only 36 years old. She went through the windshield and suffered facial lacerations and a crushed windpipe from her steering wheel. She had to be flown to the University of Louisville Hospital. When I received the phone call, the only thing I had been told was that she was in serious condition and that I needed to get to the hospital as fast as I could. I didn't know what to expect when I got there. Upon arrival, I was told that she would survive, but she was in the Trauma Room. When I finally got to see her, her chin was split wide open and she had trouble getting her breath because of her crushed windpipe. She had to have over 100 stitches in her face and it was a long road to recovery. She had to have a little plastic surgery, but the scar on the right side of her chin is still visible. I never see it because I didn't care if it was there or not. I was just thankful that I still had her. Hard to believe that was 23 years ago. Here's a recent pic of the two of us together. Because of a drunk driver, that scar will always be there. That said, she ended up better off than he did.

FullSizeRender[598].jpg

I'm glad you're going to be OK, willditka.

I hope everyone thinks twice before getting in the driver's seat after having that drink.

[Rich_TCB]

I'm so sorry, willditka.

Wishing you a full recovery ASAP.

[Scarre]

All the best to you, willditka.

Rob, thanks for the story and the pic. A question, if you don´t mind. Did she not have her seatbelt on? My regards to the missus.

[elvislady1964]

I hope you have a speedy recovery willditka, Rob, sorry to hear this happened all those years ago, very happy your wife is doing good now and looking beautiful.

[Rob]

Rob, thanks for the story and the pic. A question, if you don´t mind. Did she not have her seatbelt on? My regards to the missus.

She did not. I warned her repeatedly about it. She learned the hard way. She never thought it would happen to her. She'd say, "I'm a good driver." My response would always be, "Yes, you are, but some idiot may not be."

She fastens it now before she ever backs out of the garage.

[Scarre]

Rob, thanks for the story and the pic. A question, if you don´t mind. Did she not have her seatbelt on? My regards to the missus.

She did not. I warned her repeatedly about it. She learned the hard way. She never thought it would happen to her. She'd say, "I'm a good driver." My response would always be, "Yes, you are, but some idiot may not be."

She fastens it now before she ever backs out of the garage.

Thank you for the answer. Glad everything worked out well. I tell my kids just about the same thing..."just because you drive carefully doesn't mean others do".

[Mister Moon]

What about the people who are fiddling around with their mobile phones, GPS devices, you name it, while driving ?

Just the other day, I heard that one third of the lethal accidents are caused by distractions from handling this stuff at the wheel.

[Scarre]

What about the people who are fiddling around with their mobile phones, GPS devices, you name it, while driving ?

Just the other day, I heard that one third of the lethal accidents are caused by distractions from handling this stuff at the wheel.

Hands free is the only way.