Down Here Hope Remains
Our city is still reeling from the aftershocks of yesterday’s tragic school bus accident on I-565. A city school bus carrying 43 Lee High School students to a local technical training center plunged off an overpass near downtown after being clipped by another car driven by a Lee High student passing on the right.
The bus skidded along the guardrail and apparently hung there briefly before falling onto the ground below. The bus hit nose first and then rolled, the students in the back of the bus falling forward onto the students in the front. Two students, Christine Collier and Nicole Ford, died at the scene. A third student, Tanesha Hill, died later at Huntsville Hospital. There were numerous injuries and around half a dozen students remain in critical condition according to news reports (more related stories and photos can be found here).
Police, state and federal officials are busy reconstructing the events which led to the wreck, but for those involved, the deconstruction of their lives is both permanent and profound. Adding to the poignancy, one of the girls who died, Nicole Ford, had been shot in the face four years ago and had undergone extensive rehabilitation so that she could return to school and learn the skills that would enable her to help raise her 4-year-old son.
Amid the tragedy, we scratch our heads and wonder: why didn’t more die? As the photo above by Huntsville Times photojournalist Bryan Bacon shows, the damage to the front end of the bus from the 30-foot plunge was incredible. What is less plain from this shot is how intact the rest of the bus remained. Since it fell nose first, the front of the bus took the brunt of the hit, while the rest of the frame was bent but remained intact from the subsequent roll. Had the bus fell at a different angle, hitting the ground from the side, the loss of life would have most likely been greater. Suffice it to say, school buses are built tough.
And for that matter, so are high school kids. It was amazing watching the live feed and seeing so many kids who had just been flung about the inside of a school bus like a load of laundry in a spin cycle walking around, calling their parents on their cell phones and comforting their injured classmates. One young man knelt tenderly at the body of one of the young ladies who was killed, no doubt intent on standing vigil until someone arrived to bear her away.
And then there are the first responders and health care providers–frankly, we’re all so proud of them that we’re bursting at the seams. As a health care provider, I’ve often rolled my eyes at our repetitive drills and mass casualty exercises that we have to check off from time-to-time, but yesterday stood as a stark reminder of why we go through such motions.
The bottom line is that the paramedics, firefighters and police saved lives in those critical first moments with swift professionalism and steely resolve. From there, the doctors, nurses and technicians at Huntsville Hospital and Crestwood Medical Center went into hyperdrive, turning a scene of potential chaos into the best of possible outcomes for many of the injured and their families. This morning, I am proud of these people and proud to call myself a Huntsvillian.
As we approach Thanksgiving, we indeed look around and realize that things could have been much worse and are thankful that they weren’t. This sense of relief is small consolation, though, for the families and friends of the deceased and severely injured. Our community will continue to come together and assist those involved as they make their way through this dark time. Tragedy always brings out our better angels it seems, and it’s a good thing that it does. May the good will and humanity which overflow in these next few days and weeks remain in our community well beyond this period of grieving and repair.
Down here hope remains that such miracles are possible. And after witnessing yesterday’s events, who’s to say that they aren’t?
12 Comments
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Mark elrod
Great post; thanks for the update.
Donna
my prayers have been with the families. Could you let me know how I could help?
Mike the Eyeguy
Mark, thanks for that and for your concern and prayers.
Donna, your prayers continue to be needed. Around here a lot of folks are donating a pint of blood, and I suspect there will be more opportunities to help the families involved, so stay tuned.
Ed
With regards to the robustness of the school buses, they are built that way on purpose. In fact, that is the reason there are no seat belts in them because they were designed to withstand crashes (low impact ones) and have the occupants survive.
I thought the emergency personnel and hospital responses were outstanding too. Yes, there are good folks still out there.
lAURA
Mike, I too am proud of our health care community. They did a remarkable job. Here is my question for thought. Our kids laugh at the idea of their school ID. This has brought awareness that maybe they are necessary. Should they be required to carry them at all times, instead of throwing them in their rooms. When I asked my youngest about hers she said “no I don’t need it they just make us get one so they can have on their computer”. HMMMMM interesting. So there is a thought and probably a concern that will be implemented. I felt so bad for the doctor having to state at the news conference that they still had one that was not identified. Most people do not understand how hard it is to identify someone that is bloodied and bruised. I too am proud of our community and let me clarify I am glad I don’t work at a hospital because it is high stress and not good pay. I do greatly admire these that stick with the hospital. Thanks for your blog it is so good.
Mike the Eyeguy
Ed, I’m betting those high seat backs played a role in this better-than-expected outcome from such an unorthodox and horrific crash.
Laura, all this has me rethinking my bad habit of not carrying some form of ID when I go running.
Bill Gnade
Dear Mike,
My condolences and prayers to all involved. It breaks the heart.
This weekend I felt a bit closer to you all down there in Huntsville as I listened to Michael Feldman’s “Whad’Ya Know?” on NPR. The Huntsville audience, and the cast of characters I heard, all combined to make me feel like I had finally found a home. Unfortunately, I did not hear the whole show. But I had a warm, southern smile on my otherwise cold New Hampshire face as I listened to your hometown laugh and cheer its lovely and, at times, silly self. How pure and innocent it all seemed.
And then yesterday, through the same radio, I learn of unspeakable horrors. I sent out a prayer to you, to your family and friends, to your town. May there be peace abundant in the days ahead.
Blessings,
Gnade
Mike the Eyeguy
Bill, thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
I didn’t attend or listen to the Feldman show–I completely forgot. I’m relying now on my local NPR affiliate for a rebroadcast. I understand from some who were there that is was great fun (I heard a retelling of the Von Braun/SS tattoo/super speedway joke).
Life is such a mysterious mix of laughter and tears. And we press on.
JRB
I heard the show and loved it. Kids born in Huntsville tend to be excessively bright, in my experience….
Mike the Eyeguy
Highest per capita ratio of rocket scientists in the U.S. no doubt…
THEHIPSTER01
I LIKED YOUR POST VERY MUCH. I’M FROM HUNTSVILLE TOO AND HAVE BEEN UP CLOSE IN PERSONAL AFTER THE FACT HERE. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS DONATED BLOOD AND HOPE THEY WILL CONTINUE TOO AS FUTURE SURGERIES WILL MOST LIKELY BE NEEDED FOR SOME.
EVEN IF YOU DON’T LIVE IN OUR AREA DONATING BLOOD CAN SAVE THREE LIVES NOT JUST ONE. PLATELETS ARE CRITICAL WHEN A PATIENT IS BLEEDING SEVERLY.
WHEN YOU GIVE OF YOURSELF IT COMES FROM THE HEART NO MATTER HOW CHOOSE TO DO IT.
Mike the Eyeguy
Hey Hipster, thanks for stopping by and for your assistance that you’ve given the victims.
Speaking of which, you heard the Hipster folks–donate blood now!