Never in my life could I have imagined that one ten minute ride home from picking the kids up from the sitters would change our lives forever. Yet, one… one ten minute ride on Dec. 9th, 2001 quickly changed our family and ruined our lives.I had spent a long and tiring day at work at the bank. I hurried over to pick up my three youngest children from the sitter's. They were my pride and joy and could always bring a smile to my face, even on the worst of days. The two youngest were sound to sleep , taking their afternoon nap when I arrived at Arlene (our sitter’s). I picked up my sweet daughter, Adora, in my arms and carried her out to the car where I placed her in her car seat and than headed to get my other daughter, Karina. My three year old son, Kaden, was running around the sitter's house gathering all the kid’s toys. Soon we were on our way home. Kaden was complaining of being hungry so I decided to stop at McDonalds and pick up the kids something to eat. I called home on my cell phone, where my two other children were home from school with my husband and asked if they cared for anything to eat. I picked up 5 happy meals and tons of cheese burgers and than began the 10 min. ride home.
It was pretty cold out that day, and Adora woke up crying from cold, so I reached in back and tucked her in tighter. Kaden was telling me all about his day and how he played with all the other kids. Out of the blue a car came driving straight at us in our lane! I swerved to miss him…and next thing I remember was waking up two days later in the hospital, with no feeling in my legs and the worst sharp pain. My husband was there, holding my hand. He took my hand. All I could remember was screaming.. "I have no feeling in my legs! How come I can not move my toes."
The doctors quickly came in. They explained to me that I was out cold for the last few days. Our car was hit by a drunk driver… and that I hit the wind shield, and was flipped under the dash board where I snapped my lower back, and broke part of my spinal cord. I sat there in shock; I would never walk again. Than, came the worst part… the doctors laid it all on me…they said… "We do not know how to tell you this, both of your daughters didn’t survive the accident, and your son is in a coma…" What? How could this be? My babies? My only two baby girls dead? My little Adora, and my little Kari? Gone forever? And my son, in a coma. I went through the worst case of hate. I hated life, I hated the world, I hated God, and most of all I hated the man that did this to my family.
The day we buried our babies was the worst day of my whole life. They were so badly damaged from the accident; the bodies were cremated. I was still hospitalized, under going painful treatments on my legs, and all I could think about was my girls. My husband carried me into the funeral home for one last goodbye. I held their photos in my arms and cried. I had to fight for them, I had to keep on living.
I spent a total of 3 weeks in the hospital. The day I was released, I set out on my mission. I was going to make the man who ruined my life, my family…pay! Yet, after the cops talked with the man, he left the state, not to be found.
I am paralyzed from my waist down. I will never walk again. Never get to see my two girls grow up. I spend every waking moment next to my son, Kaden, in the hospital hoping, praying that one day he will wake up and smile at me. My two oldest sons have been my inspiration. Lance and Reece spend every moment helping my husband search for the drunken man. Lance, my oldest, spends his free time taking me to treatment or talking to local high schools about drunk driving. My children give me the hope, the will, to go on.
As I write this now, almost two months after the accident, not a day has gone by where I do not think about what happened that one day. I miss my girls extremely. I have had to face the fact that I will never walk again. I also had to face the fact that my little man, Kaden, may never wake up again, and if he does, he will never be the same.
Ten minutes, ten.. Changed my life forever. And a man who committed murder roams free.
This site was created by Arlene Jacobs from one bereaved parent to another,
as a volunteer for My Parents Are Survivors.
You are listening to Tears In Heaven.