Everything Happens For a Reason Part 1

Most of the time that I blog, post a status on Facebook, or upload pictures, it is usually to share with my friends and family events that have occurred, experiences I've shared, or to highlight the people in my life. However, sometimes just need to write, to share my thoughts and emotions in a way that can't be expressed through speech. This is one of those times...

One Monday, March 7, 2010, I went into work, expecting it to be a normal day. Usually on Mondays, we try to maintain patience while giving people copies of reports and trying not to forget fire test pages. After a couple of hours of the usual,  receive a 911 call and the gentleman calling advised me of a "very bad" motor vehicle accident on Hwy 231, south of Troy. I asked the normal questions, "how many vehicles?, are there any injuries?, are either of the vehicles overturned?", as the other two dispatchers also began taking mutiple calls on the same accident. The response was automatic...rescue, ambulance, officers, etc were all en route within seconds and on scene within minutes. Unfortunately, the quick response time was just not good enough. Brittany Pugh, Theresa Adams, and Brittany's 15 month old son Shep were killed in the accident.

The hours that followed the accident were drearily long as we were slowly finding out the details and received the news of their passing. As a dispatcher, one of the first things that you want to do after dealing with something like this is to grab your loved one and hold them tight...

That night, as I lay down trying to sleep, of course I said a prayer for them and their families. It took a while for sleep to come that night and honestly, every night since.

I have taken calls from many people who have later passed away, had family members pass away, and even a couple that took their last breathe will talking to me. I, however, have never had a call affect me the way this one has. It may be the circumstances, the people involved, the fact that I took the first call, or maybe I now question my saving grace whenever something bad happens, which is "everything happens for a reason". I have dwelled on trying to find a reason for this tragedy, and so far, have been unsuccessful. I can only hope that their loved ones eventually come to understand the reason and that it gives them peace, even if I never do...