# Have you ever saved someone?



## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Meaning, have you ever stopped to attend to a car wreck that just happened? Or for your military guys/gals, I know you have some good stories on this topic.

Myself, I have stopped at EVERY car wreck before EMT have arrived and assisted in some way. There have been situations that I came upon where obviously no help could be performed and made me cry like a baby hours later from seeing such a site.

The one I feel most proud about was when a van flipped on a wet road (Interstate) and I was the first to come upon it. It threw a 6 year old girl out, but she survived and was out in the middle of the interstate. Rain was coming down with visability of about 50 feet and I quickly grabbed her and ran to the side. Busted out the back of the van windows (van driver/passenger side was locked) with my baton on my keychain and grabbed a <1 year old out of the car seat. I was standing there holding the 6 year old and the baby in the pouring rain while others stopped and got the parents out. I calmed them down during this and wiped the blood away from the little girl so she wouldn't see the large gash in her arm. 

They all lived.


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## MikeyPrepper (Nov 29, 2012)

survival said:


> Meaning, have you ever stopped to attend to a car wreck that just happened? Or for your military guys/gals, I know you have some good stories on this topic.
> 
> Myself, I have stopped at EVERY car wreck before EMT have arrived and assisted in some way. There have been situations that I came upon where obviously no help could be performed and made me cry like a baby hours later from seeing such a site.
> 
> ...


I have not. But if i have to i think ill be ready


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## Watercanlady (Jul 23, 2012)

I have not had to actually save someone's life. But I have assisted at an accident or pulled someone from a ditch. Congrats to you survival it takes a special person to get involved...


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## Prince Humperdink (Nov 9, 2012)

When I was a volunteer firefighter I sat with People holding their hands,or comforting them while We cut them out of their vehicles at wrecks,and would prep and carry them on the board to ambulance,and I think it helped them?The only life I ever"saved"was a kitten from a burning house.I think it made the little girls troubles go away for a bit when I brought that snot soaked kitten to Her.


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## ekim (Dec 28, 2012)

Prince Humperdink said:


> When I was a volunteer firefighter I sat with People holding their hands,or comforting them while We cut them out of their vehicles at wrecks,and would prep and carry them on the board to ambulance,and I think it helped them?The only life I ever"saved"was a kitten from a burning house.I think it made the little girls troubles go away for a bit when I brought that snot soaked kitten to Her.


Same here, but after 8-1/2 years, the number saved from actually doing something like CPR or saving a person from drowning is not a very good number, but we/I did try. Our department response time was very good, but being very rural, ambulance/life flight times where quite long, so that was/is a factor.


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## joec (Nov 12, 2012)

A number of times including delivering a baby once. Pretty much done a lot in both combat situations and civilian life.


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## AsteroidX (Dec 11, 2012)

yes I have. Multiple times.


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

In youtube vids of all sorts of crashes, people seem to fall into 3 groups-
1- the chickenshits who turn around and walk away with heads in hands
2- the robots who stand just looking at the wreck
3- The heroes who run up and get stuck right in to rescue the victims

Check this out, the downed choppers engine is screaming like a banshee and could explode or catch fire anytime but there are plenty of heroes who get stuck straight in and rescue the pilot-





PS- i've never rescued anybody myself, closest was when I saw a glider force-land in a farmer's field half a mile away so I ran as fast as I could to help him, vaulting farm gates and hedges like an Olympic hurdler but he was fine. His support vehicle soon turned up so I helped him and his mates push the glider to the nearest road for dismantling and crating


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## LunaticFringeInc (Nov 20, 2012)

More than a few times I have been fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time, to be able to do something for someone else in dire need. Its ran the gamut from saving a fishing buddy that was drowning when I was a teen, to providing rescue and assistance in a major vehicle accident to saving 16 of my severely burned ship mates after an explosion ripped through a shipboard space despite 3rd degree burns on 55% of my body. Racked up quiet a few Bozo Buttons (medals) while in the military. Never veiwed as being a hero or anything like that but more so of just doing the right thing when it needed to be done. The hardest part for me is those you tried your best to help but couldnt do anything more than comfort them in their last minutes of life. That definitely sucked the most!

I have always had a knack for seeing a "Train Wreck" before it actually starts to happen. When things are crazy I have always had the ability to not panic and stay cool as a cucumber when everyone around me is freaking out and running around like a chicken with their head cut off. I am fortunate enough to have gotten a lot of training in the military in advanced first aid and I keep a day pack full of first aid equipment and some medical supplies in my truck. As such I am often times able to provide some pretty extensive first aid and provide critical information to first responders that are in route before they even arrive. Guess it s just some those early days of being a Bot Scout coming out in me...being prepared.


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

Just to digress, call me hard-hearted, but if I saw somebody driving like a f-----g maniac and smash into a tree, no way would I pull him from the burning wreck, I'd think "Burn you bastard, burn!"..

(PS- but if there were innocent passengers in the car, I'd probably help them get out, but i'd leave the driver to fry)


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## johnnyringo (Nov 8, 2012)

Yes and no. After graduating from High School in MI, I worked midnights in a Detroit emergency room. It happened to be the same hospital where my dad died of cancer when he was 32. It also was the same hospital where my mom died as a student nurse 3 years later..also 32. I saw my first person die, a patient, before my eyes there. There were more than a few after that. We (the team) saved lots. Many years later a neighbors dog fell thru the ice at a nearby lake. She called, in a panic, as we were leaving for church that Sunday morning. I, with my family (wife and 4 young kids) went to see what I could do. We lived in a rural area with no fire or police nearby. I decided to go back to the house to get a ladder to lay on the ice to get to the dog. As I was about to leave I saw this woman ( a mother of 3) running thru the snow, in her housecoat and slippers with an inner tube. I knew at that moment if I left she would leave 3 orphans. I luckily had a 100' length of rope in the car. I tied it around me, walked out and broke thru the ice. Swam to the dog had called to my wife and kids to haul me back. I had almost no strength left. Dog and I lived. Mutt didn't like me before or after. Last person I saw take the last breath was my wife of 39 years. Cancer. I hate that ****ing disease! Probably off topic, but I feel a little better. JR


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

saul4paul said:


> jimmy that not so good you were putt their at that time to save him


The day I rescue a maniac driver will be the day you can measure me up for a strait jacket!
What if I rescue him and then he gets another car and drives it into somebody and kills them?
Nah, the world's a better place without drunk or drugged drivers, let 'em burn I say..


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## shotlady (Aug 30, 2012)

ive pulled over for wrecks to see if i can assist. but ive never saved anyone. kept them comfortable until real help arrived yes.

when my son is deployed- i date his wife, go to visit her 1x a month take her out, treat her to shopping, range time and a nice supper.
the last time i went to see her in santa barbara a little boy about 8 was all skinned up from crashing his little bike. i popped open my truck and got out the 1st aide kit, got him cleaned up and all fixed and sent him on his way. i spent about 10 minutes with him. it made me feel good to touch his little life like that.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

I was a volunteer fireman in central colorado for about 3 yrs. We fought maybe 2-3 fires during that time. It is a very remote area and by the time we got there, the homes were half gone. What we did the most of was highway accidents. 2 lane highways that saw more than it's fair share of mishaps. Some involving kids would tear your heart out. I never personally saved anyone but I was there to help. We had a great team. A number of people we had to air lift out because of the injuries. Some were gone when we arrived. It felt pretty good knowing we were able to help quite a few.


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## bennettvm (Jan 5, 2013)

I have several times. My wife tells me that trouble follows me around for some reason. The first time was in my last college class. It was a weekend class and had an older number of people. One of the women in my group got up and walked to the door and collapsed. Her heart had stopped - no breathing/heart beat, etc. I started CPR and in about 1 minute - but it felt like forever, she started breathing again. EMTs arrived and took her to the hospital. She forgot to take her medication that morning apparently.


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

I might have... or I could have just imagined it. Much of my youth is just a fog now....

but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last month.... oh... and I saved a bundle by switching to Geico!


ok... it's apparently time for me to walk away from the computer and go to bed.


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## 9UC (Dec 21, 2012)

I've been fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time on several occasions through out my life. About 6 years ago a lady walked up to me at a funeral I was attending in Dallas and ask if I remembered her. I didn't so she reintroduced herself to my wife and I and proceed to tell me I had saved her life when she was about 7 years old. The incident she reminded me of was that when we were kids, she had fallen off the edge into the deep end of a local pool, she couldn't swim and the life guard was occupied else were. I was a 9 or 10 at the time, a pretty good sized and tall for a kid of my age, I could not swim either but I went in after her anyway. I jumped in feet first behind her, went to the bottom of the pool, grabbed her by the waist, elevated her as high as I could reach so her head was out of the water and walked the four to five feet feet back to the pool wall, shoved her up on the deck and drug my somewhat weary and frightened body out of the water. It wasn't funny then, but now I laugh about it now because the reason I had not remember is that we never told anyone what had happened, especially our parents, as we were not supposed to be at the deep end of the pool much less having one of our group get in above their head and we all would have had the board of education applied to the seat of learning in addition to having been grounded for the rest of the summer.


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## Dr. Prepper (Dec 20, 2012)

It was 45 years ago when I learned that life and death are two things that mankind cannot control. At the age of 27 I was sent to DaNang, Vietnam as a very young intern. Three months later, after the 1968 TET offensive, I had 127 men on my scorecard. Many died some were saved. I still suffer from night terrors. I usually do not discuss or share any of this stuff but now that I'm getting old I seem to handle the personal pain OK.








That's me with the headlight on.








This was the east wwing when I arrived. About 100 yds. out the back door was China Beach (remember the TV series?).








This was the east wing 9 days later. Things get very busy in triage when there are incoming rockets 24/7.








This soldier didn't make it. At times we had 10 to 20 of these per day. They trained us to leave our emotions outside but all of us loved every soldier that came through our little hospital. It's really hard to perform through heavy tears.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

A huge thank you to all you Veterans, you guys saved all our lives. Cant imagine what "our world" would be like without you great men and women that are and have served.
On a personal note, I have a defining point in my life, when I was 18, on the way to work I was shooting my pistol across the street from my house. I secured the gun, was leaving down a long narrow dirt road when a black ford ranger came towards me. Inside I could see three "ruff looking individuals" -all white males, with a woman sitting in their laps, fighting and screaming for me to stop. I stopped and while getting out to retrieve my gun from behind the seat, the truck stopped and she flew out of there. She was a beautiful hitchhiker with a foriegn accent and excitedely told me the men had picked her up and were taking her in the hills to rape her. We followed them for a second, trying to get a plate number, but it wasnt safe, they were hauling ass. I tried to get her to go to local P.D. and report, but she stated she had some troubles of her own that she didn't want anything other than to "Get to Claifornia"...I reluctantly let her go outside my work. 
I am positive she would have have a lot of bad stuff happen that day, probably even death...
Since then, I am more aware..


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## Omega Man (Sep 5, 2012)

You should be proud of yourself for being the one who stopped vs the many who continued to drive past the scene. I have stopped many times too...you have too..


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## 9UC (Dec 21, 2012)

Thanks for your service. May you find the hand of Peace. Like many service fields, "medics" were those whom we appreciated the most. Billeted across the street from the helo pads for 3rd Field. Saw far to many brought in during Tet '68. Really learned the true meaning of All gave some, some gave all"


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## Piratesailor (Nov 9, 2012)

I've saved a few people, mainly drowning but the real hero in my mind is dr. Prepper....


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## cmbt engr RET (Jan 14, 2013)

I saved a fellow soldier, gave him the Heimlich in the mess hall. Gladly, never had to in the field. 
Have also tried and failed. Snowmobile accident.


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## sargedog (Nov 12, 2012)

Once when I was about 10 years old, my grandmother took me swimming at a indoor pool. I was holding on to the side and she was coming towards me underwater and hit her head on the side. I reached out and got her and she told later that if I hadn't got a hold of her she would have drowned. When she came up she couldn't breathe and had swollowed a bit of water.


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## astrowolf67 (Dec 23, 2012)

Being a volunteer firefighter/EMT, I have been told I have saved a few. I don't like to look at it that way. I just strive to help them have a better chance at surviving whatever put them in their position.


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## hardcore (Jan 13, 2013)

made my living as a firefighter for 25 years. more losses then saves, sorry to say.


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## acfink (Dec 19, 2012)

Dr. Prepper Thank you that is truly Amazing !!!!!!!!!!! and for the original question.......YES I have been a paid/Vol. Firefighter/EMT for 11 years and have been on thousands of calls(fire/EMS combined), I have been on many "Saves" on the other hand I have been on many calls where person did not make it.


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## Dr. Prepper (Dec 20, 2012)

Hey! I forgot to post the best pic of them all. This is my wife (before we were married) in 1968 at the medical facility in Long Binh, Vietnam. We met at the Naval Hospital in Cam Ranh Bay as we were both being "shipped out" in 1969 She's the one with the stethoscope in her ears. She got to go home and I got to go to Subic Bay in the Philippines. We were married in 1970 in San Diego. Oops, sorry to bore you with this stuff.








Every grey cloud has a silver lining.


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## acfink (Dec 19, 2012)

Dr. Prepper Very cool pics.......thanks for sharing


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## rstanek (Nov 9, 2012)

My brother and I saved an 11 year old girl from drowning. Canoe flipped in the fast current and she got caught in a brush pile that was in the water, she could not get her head above the water so we dove in a pulled her out, her and her dad lost some equipment but no one was worse for wear. If no one else would have been there, it would have gotten bad real fast. The good Lord put us in the right place at the right time.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Dr. Prepper said:


> Hey! I forgot to post the best pic of them all. This is my wife (before we were married) in 1968 at the medical facility in Long Binh, Vietnam. We met at the Naval Hospital in Cam Ranh Bay as we were both being "shipped out" in 1969 She's the one with the stethoscope in her ears. She got to go home and I got to go to Subic Bay in the Philippines. We were married in 1970 in San Diego. Oops, sorry to bore you with this stuff.
> 
> View attachment 1218
> 
> Every grey cloud has a silver lining.


Hey, Doc you are not boring anyone. Thank you for your service. And all Men and women, and their families, that have served and are currently serving.


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## kevincali (Nov 15, 2012)

Just the other day I was in front of my house at the end of the dead end, and looked down toward the main road and saw my neighbors son swinging his backpack at 2 pit bulls that the neighbors have. They were growling, barking and advancing trying to get to him. The neighbors let them run free and terrorize the street. Anyways, I started walking down there, pulled out my pocket knife, and met the kid. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but 1 on 1 is better than 2 on 1. By the time I got to the kid, the neighbor must have seen my knife because he called the dogs. I walked with the kid back to his house (he lives right next door)

Not sure I saved him, but I did stop a bad situation from getting worse. I am the kind of person that runs TO a situation to help if I can. Not run away.


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## Dr. Prepper (Dec 20, 2012)

kevincali said:


> I am the kind of person that runs TO a situation to help if I can. Not run away.


Good for you.


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## Wyatt (Jan 19, 2013)

well i have save many life's.once i saved my friend life when he was beaten up by some guys so i have saved him from them.


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## mikes69baja (Nov 2, 2012)

When the time comes to save a life you do what needs to be done without even thinking. I received a life saving award from my work. I did not do any thing any one of you would of done..


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## Cannoncockerk (Oct 29, 2012)

I was a lifeguard as a teenager ... Pulled several out of the water. I also performed heimlick (spelling?) in a restaurant.


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## Kenyon (Jan 14, 2013)

Yeah Man. I have saved some people in a bus wreck. I was riding on a bike when I saw a bus accident. I reached on spot and call the rescue. I did what I can do to save people life. I torn my shirt and use it for dressing the injured people. These scenes where really awful.


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

There are plenty of vids on the net showing people setting themselves on fire to commit suicide, but bystanders usually run up and put them out by smothering them in a blanket or coat or beating out the flames.
Is that a good idea? I mean, even if the fire's put out, they'll still be left with severe burns needing months of painful treatment and skin grafts, so why not just let them burn to death in the first place?
I know that sounds harsh, but i'm only talking about fire. If somebody was standing on a bridge to throw themself off, I'd definitely try to talk them out of it.


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## IngaLisa (Jan 31, 2013)

Yes, a lot of people over many years, more than I can count.


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## Renec (Dec 21, 2012)

Twice..I was around 19yrs old,awaiting a Metro North train to go in the City for an evening of fun.There were some younger teenagers horsing around as the Train was coming.I don't know HOW she fell..but there she was,on the tracks..about 16yrs old.5'2" and about 90lbs..no way for he to jump back up.Her friends just stood there.Next thing I know,I'm down there with herand grabbbed her by the scruff and belt and heaved her back onto the platform(my shoulders were in good shape back then,and I'm sure the adrenilin helped!)..I jumped up,hauled myself back on the platform and was shaking ..she was crying and thanking me..I placed my hands on her face,leaned in and said softly "Get better friends,ok?"..and went home,plans forgotten.
Second time was at the beach (I am a poor swimmer)..another girl,early 20's..about the same size..waves pulled he a little too far out and she was in trouble.I rushed out to her(being closest)...grabbbed her,pulled her under where I could set my feet on the sand and then heaved her with all my might over my head towards shore..into the waiting arms of a Lifeguard LOL.She didn't drown..I didn't either.It was a good day


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## Gman303 (Jul 9, 2012)

I would like to think that today- today I saved a girl. I was on my way home from a friends house, and right there on the side walk (of a busy street) this man was beating this girl. He had her on the ground, beating her. People were just driving by watching. I turned around, threw my truck into park and jumped out, running at them screaming what the f*** are you doing?! The guy took off running, and I called the cops and sat and waited with the girl. Turns out the guy that was beating her was her dad. May not have been life threatening, but I saw something I didn't agree with and reacted.


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## 9UC (Dec 21, 2012)

Good for you. There is a fine line between the board of education applied to the seat of learning and beating a child. Hope the LEOs get him.


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## Gman303 (Jul 9, 2012)

9UC said:


> Good for you. There is a fine line between the board of education applied to the seat of learning and beating a child. Hope the LEOs get him.


Thank you! I agree, I did everything I could to tell them where he was headed but I was more focused on making sure she was okay.


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## IngaLisa (Jan 31, 2013)

Very brave! I'm glad to hear people still get involved.


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## Hkindiana (Dec 28, 2012)

I have permanently scarred lungs from breathing hot gasses and smoke while I pulled a teenage girl from a burning car. I will probably need oxygen bottles later in life, but I wouldn't change anything. The car was totally engulfed in flame about ten seconds after I got her out, so I know she would not have survived without my help. 
A few years back, my wife and I were white water rafting. On one particular rough stretch of the river she went overboard. Without even thinking, I grabbed her with my left arm and totally lifted her out of the river, over my head, and into the boat. My adrennilin was pumping so fast that I didn't even feel her weight. It wasn't until later that I said "how did I do that?"


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

Hkindiana said:


> I have permanently scarred lungs from breathing hot gasses and smoke while I pulled a teenage girl from a burning car. I will probably need oxygen bottles later in life, but I wouldn't change anything. The car was totally engulfed in flame about ten seconds after I got her out, so I know she would not have survived without my help.
> A few years back, my wife and I were white water rafting. On one particular rough stretch of the river she went overboard. Without even thinking, I grabbed her with my left arm and totally lifted her out of the river, over my head, and into the boat. My adrennilin was pumping so fast that I didn't even feel her weight. It wasn't until later that I said "how did I do that?"


Awesome that you were there. I was told that my Grandma was washing dishes, and my Uncle was working on her car on the back porch, the car fell on him, and she went out there and picked the car up and dragged him out. My grandma was a haybucking country lady, but I know shes not a powerlifter, the human mind is a weapon.


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## Southern Dad (Nov 26, 2012)

In 1993 we had the "Blizzard of the Century" hit Georgia. We got 15"!!! Piggly Wiggly ran out of bread and milk. It wasn't pretty. Being from up north, that little bit of snow and ice didn't phase me. I was driving on a two lane state highway passing through a small town called Auburn, GA. I had my girlfriend and her toddler in the truck with me. My dually pickup was two wheel drive but the roads weren't bad if you took it easy. We passed car after car on the side of the road. People had got stuck and abandoned their vehicles when someone came and got them.

We passed a Ford Ranger flipped on its roof in the ditch. Something bothered me about that truck. After I got to my destination in Dacula, I got a neighbor and went back. There was a family of three in that little truck. They'd be trapped in it for hours. They were cold and hungry but pretty much unhurt. I figured out what was bothering me about the accident scene later. There were no footprints in the snow around the vehicle. Every other abandoned vehicle we encountered had lots of tracks in the snow. I've had a few other experiences in my life where I've been involved in a rescue but that one has always stuck with me.

Power was out from that little storm for a week. Schools were closed for even longer. The northern part of the state was basically shut down.


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