RicerSon's Accident - 10/15/2007 - Home on 10/18
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1
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From: North of Buffalo, NY *** NEBF '05, '06, '07 *** ***ONBF & NYBF 06; 07*** ***WCBF 06***
RicerSon'* Accident - 10/15/2007 - Home on 10/18
Yesterday at 6:30pm, my 2nd son affectionately refered to as Ricerson, totaled his 2002 Hundyai Sonata. He just got the car 3 weeks ago - I don't even have a before picture of it. His seatbelt and airbag saved his life - no broken bones, no internal injuries, however he did suffer a traumatic head/neck injury - the jury is still out on what the longterm effects will be. He was Mercy Flighted to ECMC in Buffalo and I learned of the accident when the ER Nurse called me to get info about him.
He was up and walking to the bathroom on his own today and began eating. He has both retrograde and post-traumatic amnesia (retrograde = memory loss directly preceding the injury; post-traumatic = confusion associated with the inability to lay down new memory following an injury) He was upset because he couldn't remember his nurse'* name tonight, even though she told him three times. I told him, "...honey, you couldn't remember names before the injury"
The most information I got about the accident was the newspaper. Go figure. He was passing a car in a no-passing zone when an oncoming car appeared. He cut back over into the right lane to avoid the head on (he had cleared the other car) lost control, broke driver rear tire at some point, flipped the car end over into the utility pole. The pole redirected the car back across the road, barrel rolling into the lefthand ditch, it continued to roll/spin around banking back onto the road. Parts were scattered everywhere.
The neurosurgen finally looked at the CT scans and xrays tonight around 5pm. Agreed that the vertebrae all appear to be intact and that there was no initial bleeding on the brain. He wants to do an MRI but can't until the swelling goes down in his neck area. I do not understand this point (I wasn't there when the Dr came in tonight) so I am now doing research on Brain Injuries to gain a better understanding.
He still has severe pain in the base of his neck/spine that seemed to concern the medical staff, although they tried to conceal their concern. He will be need to be hospitalized for another 3-4 days until the MRI can be done. This is what they are saying...in my mind, I'm thinking that due to his lingering amnesia and neckpain, the truth is that only time will tell how severe the injury will truly be. He will be in a neckbrace for an undermined amount of time.
The boy is concerned about his headunit, speakers, and cell phone. He has no clue. The firemen, EMT'*, and tow truck driver all say they cannot believe anyone survived such a crash much less suffered no broken bones or internal injuries (other than brain scramble). I do believe in Divine Intervention.... there is no questioning it now. Even his room number is 777-A.
Pics of the car: Keep in mind that all of the parts were thrown back into the car which is much of what you'll see sticking out of the sunroof. I was not allowed back into where the car was (after hours...Rotweilers in yard). The tow truck driver took my camera back and snapped the pics for me. Turns out, I went to high school with him.
BEFORE: (Stock Photo'* from www.kbb.com)
XSHYSON021.jpg
XSHYSON023.jpg
Rear view - driverside
100_1896-1.jpg
Rearview
100_1894-1.jpg
Rearview - passengerside
100_1895-1.jpg
Windsheild from passengerside
100_1897-1.jpg
Passengerside door
100_1898-1.jpg
driverside - sunroof (frong bumper is sticking out of the top)
100_1901-1.jpg
He was up and walking to the bathroom on his own today and began eating. He has both retrograde and post-traumatic amnesia (retrograde = memory loss directly preceding the injury; post-traumatic = confusion associated with the inability to lay down new memory following an injury) He was upset because he couldn't remember his nurse'* name tonight, even though she told him three times. I told him, "...honey, you couldn't remember names before the injury"
The most information I got about the accident was the newspaper. Go figure. He was passing a car in a no-passing zone when an oncoming car appeared. He cut back over into the right lane to avoid the head on (he had cleared the other car) lost control, broke driver rear tire at some point, flipped the car end over into the utility pole. The pole redirected the car back across the road, barrel rolling into the lefthand ditch, it continued to roll/spin around banking back onto the road. Parts were scattered everywhere.
The neurosurgen finally looked at the CT scans and xrays tonight around 5pm. Agreed that the vertebrae all appear to be intact and that there was no initial bleeding on the brain. He wants to do an MRI but can't until the swelling goes down in his neck area. I do not understand this point (I wasn't there when the Dr came in tonight) so I am now doing research on Brain Injuries to gain a better understanding.
He still has severe pain in the base of his neck/spine that seemed to concern the medical staff, although they tried to conceal their concern. He will be need to be hospitalized for another 3-4 days until the MRI can be done. This is what they are saying...in my mind, I'm thinking that due to his lingering amnesia and neckpain, the truth is that only time will tell how severe the injury will truly be. He will be in a neckbrace for an undermined amount of time.
The boy is concerned about his headunit, speakers, and cell phone. He has no clue. The firemen, EMT'*, and tow truck driver all say they cannot believe anyone survived such a crash much less suffered no broken bones or internal injuries (other than brain scramble). I do believe in Divine Intervention.... there is no questioning it now. Even his room number is 777-A.
Pics of the car: Keep in mind that all of the parts were thrown back into the car which is much of what you'll see sticking out of the sunroof. I was not allowed back into where the car was (after hours...Rotweilers in yard). The tow truck driver took my camera back and snapped the pics for me. Turns out, I went to high school with him.
BEFORE: (Stock Photo'* from www.kbb.com)
XSHYSON021.jpg
XSHYSON023.jpg
Rear view - driverside
100_1896-1.jpg
Rearview
100_1894-1.jpg
Rearview - passengerside
100_1895-1.jpg
Windsheild from passengerside
100_1897-1.jpg
Passengerside door
100_1898-1.jpg
driverside - sunroof (frong bumper is sticking out of the top)
100_1901-1.jpg
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: North of Buffalo, NY *** NEBF '05, '06, '07 *** ***ONBF & NYBF 06; 07*** ***WCBF 06***
Thank you - you were too quick for me... Edited original post to include "before" stock photos - identical to what it looked like before the accident.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
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OW. 
Amazing that he is ok, thats one heck of a lesson to learn. I bet he will be much more of a careful driver. I remember I witnessed something just like that once before, bunch of girls in a mid 80s MB decided to pass a truck on a corner, then noticed a bus coming, tried to cut in front of the truck, couldn't, over correct and alley OOP, flip, flip, flip, flip RIGHT into a 5 foot wide date palm. Est 100 MPH. No none of them were wearing their seatbelts. He did make THAT decision right. Unbelievable.
Amazing that he is ok, thats one heck of a lesson to learn. I bet he will be much more of a careful driver. I remember I witnessed something just like that once before, bunch of girls in a mid 80s MB decided to pass a truck on a corner, then noticed a bus coming, tried to cut in front of the truck, couldn't, over correct and alley OOP, flip, flip, flip, flip RIGHT into a 5 foot wide date palm. Est 100 MPH. No none of them were wearing their seatbelts. He did make THAT decision right. Unbelievable.
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
Expert Gearhead
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 41,391
Likes: 30
From: Enfield, CT
Wow Tracy... that is amazing. Having a friend that went through a similar crash, I saw the firemen'* pictures (not supposed to be released to public) and the car would have been unidentifyable except for maybe a badge that survived.
Get well Ricer...
Get well Ricer...
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,808
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From: Erie Pennsylvania
Wow.
After seeing the pics, it is even so much worse than I imagined.
Ricerson was definitely blessed.
I will continue to pray for his recovery ad give praise for his miraculous safety through that horrific event.
After seeing the pics, it is even so much worse than I imagined.
Ricerson was definitely blessed.
I will continue to pray for his recovery ad give praise for his miraculous safety through that horrific event.
Senior Member
True Car Nut
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,014
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From: Brampton, Ontario
Tracy, real sorry to hear, but I must say that Ricerson is very very lucky, more lucky that he knows. Especially to have a mother like you. When Mick started taking my car on his own, that is my greatest fear, I'm amazed at how well, YOU are holding up. I'm sure we don't know all of it, but you are one strong person. 
