The night that changed my life forever

Sunday December 26,2004 started like any other Sunday......I went to church with my best friend while my husband [ Will Wolfe ] stayed home to watch church. My girlfriend and I went to lunch afterwards and then I went home. Will and I were planning on having a few people over that evening to watch football. One of our best friends, Brian Schuug who was like a brother to both of us arrived early. Brian and Will were acting really weird and went out to run some errands together. I normally go with them everywhere, but Will was adamant that I stay home which was odd, but now I know why which I will share a little later. I really feel like both of them had a premonition about what was going to happen, I really do. Will was acting weird when I arrived home from church and I had questioned him, with no explanation. So, I went about my business. Anyways, the guys got back from running errands and we decided before the game was to start that we were going to go get some ice cream and other things for the game. Side note....my best friend that went to church with me was supposed to be with us that evening, and last minute, she cancelled. Thank God for that........

We got in my white Buick Skylark and headed down highway 49 headed towards Willshire Ohio which was only a few miles away. Well, we didn't even make it to Willshire.......we were about a quarter of a mile away, going approximately 45 mph and had reached the houses along 49 before you get into Willshire. All of a sudden this big red Ford F250 going the opposite direction pulled out in front of us and I barely had time to do anything......I had a split second, said " Oh Shit, " and jerked my wheel to the left. It was too late..........I remember the truck hitting us head on and the initial blow and when I came to, I could see through a small hole in my windshield that I was under a tree. Another one of our best friends who is a fireman in Willshire was on top of my car talking to me and trying to keep me awake. I even remember our conversation. I was pinned and couldn't move at all. I was in horrific pain, there was blood running down my face and into my eyes, and there was glass in my mouth. I knew I was hurt really bad. The way I was pinned though, my head was stuck facing Will and I could see his head smashed between the roof of the car and the back of his seat [ in the front passenger side ]. I couldn't see Brian, obviously because I couldn't move and my car looked like a tuna can which is why it took them 45 minutes to cut me out. Meanwhile, the man that hit us was drunk, and he fled the scene. His truck didn't just hit us head on, it landed on top of my car and ended up on the road upside down. There were four different departments at the scene of the accident. My cousin, by marriage, just so happened to be at one of the houses in front of our accident and she came over to me and held my hand and just kept talking to me.  There were police officers from Indiana looking for the man that hit us. Turns out, he had a friend who WAS an EMT, and he'd ran to his house. Well, this EMT [ who had actually picked me up in an ambulance once before was the friend.......anyways, he stayed there for over 6 hours eating and trying to sober up. Seven hours later, he finally turned himself in and his alcohol level was still .03!!! While he was fleeing, I was getting cut out of my car and the Samaritan had to land in the corn field to get me. I even remember that and yelling at them because they'd cut all my clothes off and I was freezing. I remember the ride, part of it and then I was out again and didn't wake up until I was in the Trauma room where more hell was about to ensue. The medical team [ Trauma Surgeons etc. ] were working on me and every time I would come to, I kept asking the nurse where my husband Will and Brian were and if they were okay, and I knew right away by the look on her face that they were gone and I would begin screaming and crying and then I'd black out again. This kept happening over and over......God bless that poor nurse, ugh!!!! The things those in the medical field, police officers, and first responders have to see are unthinkable and I pray now every time I see any kind of accident or hear sirens. I can't hear the sound of a Samaratin without getting chills. All of these people who risk their lives day in and day out for us should NEVER be disrespected or taken advantage of! They never know who o what they're going to see and it could be a family member. Speaking of family, every year on December 26th the other side of our family gets together at mom and dad's house. Well, when this accident happened, everyone was there and mom gets a call about the news.......then, dad could hear them flying me to Parkview over their house!!! Everyone stayed to clean up while immediate family took off for the hospital. 

I had a LOT of injuries and everyone at the scene said, " there's no way she should still be here, its a miracle she's alive." I had three fractures in my pelvis, broken left collar bone, broken right shoulder, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, they could see my skull because the lacerations were so deep, I had to have surgery on my right knee to remove muscle damaged by glass, I had a collapsed right lung, I had contusions to my lungs, so much glass in my mouth, a concussion, and a lot of cuts and huge knots and all over. They had to cut my wedding ring off because I was so swollen. The next thing I remember is laying in a bed in ICU. I had oxygen going through my nose, an oxygen mask, and I was holding a turquoise wand that was being used to suck blood and glass out of my mouth. For a long time, there was a line of people going out of my room, until the Dr. needed to make everyone leave so I could rest. The next thing I remember is my dream that night......it was a dream about Will and there was an orange glow behind him. He looked straight at me and said, " I know the accident wasn't your fault and I didn't feel any pain." I know without a doubt God gave me that dream to comfort me, and it did. Because of that, I didn't suffer from survivors guilt. The days to come were extremely difficult and not just horrific for me, but for my family. And......tomorrow we shall continue!! I don't feel well and am exhausted.