Shannon's Story
Many of you have heard that the car right behind mine in the accident was a student of mine, Shannon Reeve. I was not aware of this until amazingly, the afternoon of the accident, I got an email from her saying she was right behind me! Shannon was in my MIS class during Interterm earlier this year. I have asked Shannon to "tell her story" and I am including a picture of her poor car as well. Take it away, Shannon...
Now I'm sure you're all a bit played out on this story, but imagine seeing a big rig fall on top of your car and not thinking you're going to survive and then you may understand why it's nearly impossible to stop talking about it!
Monday morning, (don't you hate those?!?)... I have a big day ahead of me and am trying to get to school a few minutes early so I can have one last glance at my notes before I take a BIO test. As I am exiting on Lambert from the 57 freeway I see the big rig, turning in conjunction with my car, start to swing out into my lane and seemed like it was going too fast. As I try to make the turn as wide as I possibly can, I hear the squealing of brakes and see the big rig toppling on to my car. There is no where for me to go, so I hunch my shoulders and try to semi-duck, but brace myself for the for the worst. After the crashing, bending of steel, shattering of windows, ect. (sounding amazingly like any car crash you see in the movies) I open my eyes and to my amazement I am alive! My car is nearly crushed by the semi, but thanks to God's outrageous protection, where I am sitting is still in tact! I see a few people run over from their cars across the street and ask me if I am OK. I say yes, tell them I just need to get out, then ask if everyone else is OK. Someone asked me if I had called the police, and I, of course, said no... I was in shock I was alive, the last thing I am thinking about is calling the police! So, as they call 911, I reach for my phone beside me and call my parents to tell them what had just happened.
I tell my dad I was just in an accident, a truck had flipped and was stuck on top of my car. "I don't know how I'm alive!" Is what I said that must have made his stomach turn, but he tells me he's on his way and I tell him to be careful because there might be traffic now. haha!
Long story short, the firemen use the jaws of life to get me out. The roof had hit my head, but to my amazement... not even a scratch! My back and neck are sore, but nothing immobilizing. Now some people call me the "miracle girl" or say that they could see that an angel covered me to protect me. All I know is that God's protection and control was more real to me that day than ever before. No one was seriously injured in an accident that the coroners office was called to come on scene. God still does miracles today, and I believe what the devil intended for evil God has used for good.
I thank God for his protection of Professor Bourgeois and myself, as well as everyone else involved. It is hard to cope with the fact that you are okay while other people die from accidents like that daily. All I know is God is awesome, and I am thankful to be alive to fulfill the purpose He has for me... whatever that may be!
-Shannon Joy
Labels: accident