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Its all still good...
Its all still good...
| Name: | Edward F. Maurina III |  |
|---|---|---|
| Date Posted: | Feb 28, 2007 | |
| Rating: |  Not Rated | |
| Public: | YES | |
| Comments: | YES | |
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| Profile Page: | View profile page for Edward F. Maurina III |
Blog post
Hello all.
This is going to be a bit of a different blog than those I normally write.
As some folks know, my life was recently turned upside down when my wife was in a head-on collision.
What happened?
On January 27th, at about 11 am I waved and smiled at my wife as she pulled out of our driveway. It was a beautiful sunny day. There wasn't a hint of rain, nor even any clouds to speak of. The weather was positively peculiar for for Portland Oregon at this time of year.
Teresa was in high-spirits and looking forward to playing a round (or perhaps even two rounds) of golf with some friends.
I was in high-spirits because I would have the house to myself for the day and I knew I could make some much needed progress on my book.
...
At exactly 1128 am, the home phone rang. I was sitting in my office sipping a cup of coffee and reviewing changes from the night before. I decided to let the answering machine pick up, which it did after the fourth ring.
Leaning towards the door of my office, I hoped to hear at least a little bit of the message. I heard what sounded like my wife, but then there seemed to be something strange about her voice.
I got up and walked to the head of the stairs to hear the message more clearly, but by the time I got there she had clicked off. For some reason, my heart had started to beat more rapidly and my palms were just the slighest bit clammy.
Something was not right.
I raced downstairs and fumbled for the play button.
Click... Old message from my Grandfather
Click... message for Teresa.
Click...
Honestly, at this point I was wondering if I had heard my wife's last words. I was wracked with unbelievable guilt and remore for not picking up the call. I could hear the words, "No... no... no...", as if it someone else were speaking. It was me, and I was entirely frantic to get to her somehow.
The only problem was, we're a one car family.
Don't draw it out!
Not to draw out the story any longer and because my heart still races to remember this, I'll just cut to the chase.
My wife is alive and well.
I borrowed a car from a neighbor and actually beat the ambulance to the hospital (without speeding).
The details
My wife was driving our car, an old (1984) BMW 533i, which we have held onto for years because we felt it was a solid and safe car, being entirely constructed of steel and significantly outmassing most cars (excluding large trucks and SUVs).
She was hit by a 19 year-old driver who decided that it was a fine day to push his own car and it seems, his own skills, to the limits.
The details are sketchy, but based on my wife's recollection and the likely untrue testimony of the other driver. My wife was travelling at ~35 mph (the posted speed) and the other driver was travelling at ~50 mph (by his own statement), when the two cars came together head-on (see my comments on this later).
The important thing is that this means the sum velocity of the collision was ~80 to 85 mph.
Because words are truly unequal to describing the flight of the vehicles and the resultant devestation, I am including pictures for your viewing interest.
Now, some would not call this a head-on collision, since technically the other driver's car was sideways when it hit my wife's car on the front, but I still consider this a head-on due to the direction the cars were moving at the time of impact:
The first four pictures are of our car and demonstrate the damage it sustained. Looking only at these pictures, it really doesn't look that bad. In point of fact, our car was foreshortened by approximatly 1.5 to 2 feet, but it hard to see that in the images.
These next seven pictures are of the other driver's car (1993 Honda Civic) and demonstrate the high-velocity nature of this impact:
I believe my wife survived the accident ONLY because,
- Our car outmassed the civic, equalizing the stopping equation in her favor.
- The Civic, hitting side-on as it did allowed the entire passenger side to act as a 'crumple-zone', absorbing much of the energy from the impact.
Yes, but what is with the title of this blog?
At this point, you may wonder about the title of this blog. Well, the fact is,
although this was terrible, and
although the guy was uninsured, and
although the insurance agency is holding true to the nature of all insurance agencies (They're in the business of not paying claims.), and
although this has cost a fortune in time, money, and emotional input,
all of those things mean absolutely nothing when I can still say that my wife is alive.
So, it's all still good... very good actually.
Back in the saddle so to speak
In closing, I'd like to thank those of you have knew and wrote and those of you who gave me a little grace while I left posts and e-mails unanswered. I'm back at it and things are starting to straighten out.
Cheers,
Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT
This is going to be a bit of a different blog than those I normally write.
As some folks know, my life was recently turned upside down when my wife was in a head-on collision.
What happened?
On January 27th, at about 11 am I waved and smiled at my wife as she pulled out of our driveway. It was a beautiful sunny day. There wasn't a hint of rain, nor even any clouds to speak of. The weather was positively peculiar for for Portland Oregon at this time of year.
Teresa was in high-spirits and looking forward to playing a round (or perhaps even two rounds) of golf with some friends.
I was in high-spirits because I would have the house to myself for the day and I knew I could make some much needed progress on my book.
...
At exactly 1128 am, the home phone rang. I was sitting in my office sipping a cup of coffee and reviewing changes from the night before. I decided to let the answering machine pick up, which it did after the fourth ring.
Leaning towards the door of my office, I hoped to hear at least a little bit of the message. I heard what sounded like my wife, but then there seemed to be something strange about her voice.
I got up and walked to the head of the stairs to hear the message more clearly, but by the time I got there she had clicked off. For some reason, my heart had started to beat more rapidly and my palms were just the slighest bit clammy.
Something was not right.
I raced downstairs and fumbled for the play button.
Click... Old message from my Grandfather
Click... message for Teresa.
Click...
Quote:
"Hello? (long pause) I've been in an accident. (Strange noises in the background). I'm at TV highway (becoming faint now). Can you breathe? Can you hear me? (Someone else's voice). I have go now..." end of call.
Honestly, at this point I was wondering if I had heard my wife's last words. I was wracked with unbelievable guilt and remore for not picking up the call. I could hear the words, "No... no... no...", as if it someone else were speaking. It was me, and I was entirely frantic to get to her somehow.
The only problem was, we're a one car family.
Don't draw it out!
Not to draw out the story any longer and because my heart still races to remember this, I'll just cut to the chase.
My wife is alive and well.
I borrowed a car from a neighbor and actually beat the ambulance to the hospital (without speeding).
The details
My wife was driving our car, an old (1984) BMW 533i, which we have held onto for years because we felt it was a solid and safe car, being entirely constructed of steel and significantly outmassing most cars (excluding large trucks and SUVs).
She was hit by a 19 year-old driver who decided that it was a fine day to push his own car and it seems, his own skills, to the limits.
The details are sketchy, but based on my wife's recollection and the likely untrue testimony of the other driver. My wife was travelling at ~35 mph (the posted speed) and the other driver was travelling at ~50 mph (by his own statement), when the two cars came together head-on (see my comments on this later).
The important thing is that this means the sum velocity of the collision was ~80 to 85 mph.
Because words are truly unequal to describing the flight of the vehicles and the resultant devestation, I am including pictures for your viewing interest.
Now, some would not call this a head-on collision, since technically the other driver's car was sideways when it hit my wife's car on the front, but I still consider this a head-on due to the direction the cars were moving at the time of impact:
The first four pictures are of our car and demonstrate the damage it sustained. Looking only at these pictures, it really doesn't look that bad. In point of fact, our car was foreshortened by approximatly 1.5 to 2 feet, but it hard to see that in the images.
These next seven pictures are of the other driver's car (1993 Honda Civic) and demonstrate the high-velocity nature of this impact:
I believe my wife survived the accident ONLY because,
- Our car outmassed the civic, equalizing the stopping equation in her favor.
- The Civic, hitting side-on as it did allowed the entire passenger side to act as a 'crumple-zone', absorbing much of the energy from the impact.
Yes, but what is with the title of this blog?
At this point, you may wonder about the title of this blog. Well, the fact is,
although this was terrible, and
although the guy was uninsured, and
although the insurance agency is holding true to the nature of all insurance agencies (They're in the business of not paying claims.), and
although this has cost a fortune in time, money, and emotional input,
all of those things mean absolutely nothing when I can still say that my wife is alive.
So, it's all still good... very good actually.
Back in the saddle so to speak
In closing, I'd like to thank those of you have knew and wrote and those of you who gave me a little grace while I left posts and e-mails unanswered. I'm back at it and things are starting to straighten out.
Cheers,
EdM|GPGT
Recent Blog Posts
| List: | 04/25/08 - Psssss... Hot! 03/24/08 - "Multiplayer Gaming and Engine Coding for the Torque Game Engine" and other announcements ... 02/28/07 - Its all still good... 12/01/06 - GGE and Writing 08/15/06 - GPGT Postmortem - Part 3 of 3 (Lessons Learned) 08/11/06 - GPGT Postmortem - Part 2 of 3 (Project Analysis) 08/10/06 - GPGT Postmortem - Part 1 of 3 (History) 08/05/06 - Seeking your assitance |
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Submit your own resources!| Casey Weidner (Feb 28, 2007 at 06:39 GMT) |
| Todd Pickens (Feb 28, 2007 at 06:48 GMT) |
Very glad to hear that your wife is ok. It could have so easily ended another way.
Enjoy every moment. As the saying goes, tomorrow is promises to no one.
| Blake Lowry (Feb 28, 2007 at 06:52 GMT) |
This is the biggest fear for me... I drive about 2 hours a day (lots of backtracking and traffic :\ ) just so I can drive my wife to work so I dont have to worry about something like this happening. I can only imagine how worried you must have been. :(
Glad she is ok.
| Stephan (viKKing) Bondier (Feb 28, 2007 at 08:03 GMT) |
Hopefully she's safe. 8-) More important than the cost of anything.
Take care of both of you.
| Wiley (Feb 28, 2007 at 08:49 GMT) |
| Tank Dork (Feb 28, 2007 at 09:03 GMT) |
On a similar note, I was talking to a girlfriend once on the cell phone when she made an exclamation, followed by loud squealing tires, and finally a crash as the phone went dead (the impact knocked it out of her hand into the floor board).. she had been stopped at a red light when the driver of a large van over drove his breaking capacity and rear ended her, knocking her into the intersection. She was bruised up but otherwise ok. I was 30 minutes away and didn't get news for 20 minutes. I was a wreck.
Press on with the writing, we need a GPGT2, TGB edition! :P
| Dave Young (Feb 28, 2007 at 10:03 GMT) |
| Stefan Lundmark (Feb 28, 2007 at 10:28 GMT) |
Quote:
although the guy was uninsured, and
Quote:
all of those things mean absolutely nothing when I can still say that my wife is alive.
By your way of telling the story, I was worried she got injured in the accident. How did the 19-year old manage? I hope he is in bad shape. I hate how morons feel the need to interpret speed limits.
| Surge (Feb 28, 2007 at 13:00 GMT) |
| Nick Zafiris (Feb 28, 2007 at 13:01 GMT) |
| Chip Lambert (Feb 28, 2007 at 14:16 GMT) |
I'm happy to see your wife is doing good. Kudos for holding on to the BMW :)
| Allyn "Mr_Bloodworth" Mcelrath (Feb 28, 2007 at 15:11 GMT) |
| Jonathon Stevens (Feb 28, 2007 at 15:22 GMT) |
He was called 'miracle man' in the news because everyone said he should have died. The kid was 17 that hit him. It's amazing how stupidity and speed usually go hand in hand. I'm sorry for your troubles and am glad that your wife is ok. You hit it on the nail when you said that none of the rest matters since you got your wife back.
Quote:
I hope he is in bad shape. I hate how morons feel the need to interpret speed limits.
@Stefan - When I first read this, I was pretty dissapointed that someone would wish someone else to be in 'bad shape' because of an incredibly stupid decision. I think he should go to jail for a little bit to be punished for what could have turned out much worse, but he shouldn't be inflicted with physical pain. He is only 18 and I know I did many stupid things at 18 that could have harmed myself or others.
I can pretty much guarantee that this kid will never drive like that again. Major car accidents tend to pull the daredevil out of people.
| Sam Redfern (Feb 28, 2007 at 16:18 GMT) |
Thanks for sharing this BTW... boy racers in their Honda Civics are something that annoy most of us. One of the main reasons we just shelled out 20k+Euro (the Euro symbol makes your database barf GG!) was for its safety features. It seems that side-impact bars that extend to the rear seats were more-or-less a 2004 invention, so it seemed worth spending the money to protect the kids. The Irish roads being particularly bad, we have a lot of avoidable carnage to contend with.
Edited on Feb 28, 2007 16:22 GMT
| Brian Mayberry (Feb 28, 2007 at 17:25 GMT) |
All kidding aside, scary business getting into a wreck like this, glad the wife made it home safe. I can only imagine the intensity of not knowing her well-being like that. I'm not so sure I could handle it sanely.
I was once in such an accident involving faulty government equipment, and when the responsible branch didn't want to pay up, I wrote to my representatives in Washington D.C. and they helped out tremendously. I know it doesn't help much for un-insured punk kids, but just in case anyone else gets into a similar situation, it's a good way to handle it.
Best of luck with getting back on the road, and if there is any kind of bright side to all of this: New Car Shopping!
| Fucifer (Feb 28, 2007 at 18:00 GMT) |
| Eric Elwell (Feb 28, 2007 at 18:05 GMT) |
Strange thing of our human nature, that we tend to forget what is truly valuable and true until it's completely out of our control
| Anton Bursch (Feb 28, 2007 at 18:26 GMT) |
We didn't have insurance when this happened and her mother had move in with a months before from health problems and we were so broke trying to pay for the tests... trying to come up with money to just go to the doctore. And the reason we didn't have insurance was because I'd gotten my first full time but insuranceless game programming job and she had quit her job to take care of her mom. Let me tell you... you don't know guilt until you've risked your wife's life to follow your dream... especially unintentionally. I tired to quit and get another job that paid more and she wouldn't let me. In the face of her own death she wouldn't let me quit my dream. Not that she could stop me cause no way in hell she's dieing period if I can help it... but it still gets me every time to think how much she believed in me and how much my dreams meant to her. Even if she's crazy for thinking they mean anything compared to her.
I know how you feel Edward... nothing matters except her. I'm happy for you that she's ok.
| Marcus (Feb 28, 2007 at 18:38 GMT) |
I'm glad to hear your wife is ok. A scare like that is never good. Be very greatful.
Edited on Feb 28, 2007 18:41 GMT
| Daniel Scott (Feb 28, 2007 at 19:02 GMT) |
So very true. I am glad to hear she is doing okay.
| Stefan Lundmark (Feb 28, 2007 at 20:40 GMT) |
Quote:
When I first read this, I was pretty dissapointed that someone would wish someone else to be in 'bad shape' because of an incredibly stupid decision.
I think a moron like that has to feel how painful it can be to understand his ego-actions in traffic are wrong and self-centered. I meet these kind of villians in my job alot, and the impression I get is that they think what they are doing (ie. speed) is something cool and those who object to it are the boring people who do not want any tension in their life.
My father got rammed on his bike by a speeding truck driver, and lost his foot.
| Canon (Feb 28, 2007 at 21:21 GMT) |
Good to see your wife is ok after that!
Christophe
| Tom Bentz (Feb 28, 2007 at 21:50 GMT) |
| bank (Feb 28, 2007 at 21:56 GMT) |
and I am glad to hear that your wife is okay after all of that.
Quote:
Only life matters.
| Ajari Wilson (Mar 01, 2007 at 02:59 GMT) |
-Ajari-
| Andy Hawkins (Mar 01, 2007 at 07:21 GMT) |
I'm glad your wife is okay - I was freakin' out when you started this blog, because I think about this kinda thing "life could be over in a second" - sort of thing every other day. Nice to have a happy ending.
Everyone buy another copy of his book to help with the repairs to the Beamer :)
P.S. Marcus - OMG! Lucky man...
| Josh Williams (Mar 01, 2007 at 10:13 GMT) |
Look forward to seeing you guys again soon... though let me please offer to drive up there next time instead and save you guys a long roadtrip. :)
| mb (Mar 01, 2007 at 20:45 GMT) |
| Julian R (Mar 08, 2007 at 18:27 GMT) |
Edited on Mar 08, 2007 18:29 GMT
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