It was a great Thanksgiving.  Mostly Katy’s family over at Horeshoe Lake, Hughes, Arkansas.  Katy’s sister picked her up a little after 10 AM on Friday for some Black Friday shopping.

About 10 minutes later I got a call from Katy.  “We have been in a wreck, you need to come.”  I thought – a fender bender, in a semi-scary neighborhood;  they need someone to sit with them until the cops come.  I didn’t ask for details.  I just got in the car and headed that way.  When I neared the intersection, a police car sat blocking 2 lanes diverting traffic.  In the distance were 2 fire engines, 2 ambulances, more police and service vehicles and their crews.  It was an horrendous wreck.  My sister-in-law’s car was smashed front and back with the other car balanced between a tree and the top of her car.  When I told one of the supervisors who I  was, he pointed in the direction of Katy.

I had intentions of posting the pictures I took at the scene, but they still trouble me.  Katy was completely immobilized on a full backboard, with neck brace- a scene no husband wants to see.  Seems she had called me while lying in a busy 4 lane street, and had been coaxed by her sister to move as the gasoline leaking from the wrecks began streaming toward her.

Here’s what I am thankful for:  Katy was coherent and talking when I got to her, complaining of neck pain, but conscious.  I think the fireman attending to her rolled his eyes when I made her wiggle her toes.

I am thankful to:
all the good folks who called 911
-the people who came to the victims’ aid until emergency crews arrived, especially -the nurse who materialized and personally took care of Katy
-the emergency crews – Memphis has the finest fire department, EMTs and Police in the world when it comes to a crisis situation – true professionals in every sense
-the kind folks at Methodist-Central ER
-all of our friends, both RL and online, who have sent out their prayers and good thoughts
-the Lord for deciding it wasn’t Katy’s or her sister’s time to go

Katy  has some really disgusting looking bruises and a whiplash-type thing in her neck, but she’s a trooper.

At the impound lot

At the scene -rear view