I am now back in Indiana and at work. Yesterday (Wednesday) I swung by the hospital one last time to say good-bye to Joel, Renee, and Emily. She is such a precious little thing and looks very good despite all the tubes. If you want the latest news, check out Joel and Renee's blog.
The return trip is about 10 hours and I left the hospital around noon, Minneapolis time, which means 1:00 PM Indiana time. I made good time around Chicago, even with all the construction, and was coming down our road right around 11:15. I was rejoicing in the good time I made and that I hadn't had any car problems when suddenly a deer runs out in front of me, not more than 15 feet away. I swerved to avoid it, but the thing hit the hood with a crash! Or, was that the airbags deploying? I don't know, but I sure did hit it. The hood folded in half and the car stunk from the airbags.
The poor deer was lying in the road and I thought for sure I had killed it, But, nope. It scrambled up and managed to cross the road into the ditch before it collapsed. You could hear the backbone crunching. It was heart-wrenching to hear and see it thrashing around trying to get away. I called 911 and waited for the sheriff deputy to arrive. Thankfully, he put it out of its misery with 2 shots to the head with a rifle.
Five hundred and thirty miles, and 1/4 mile from home. Amazingly, there were no leaking fluids and the radiator had only moved about 1.5 inches. I actually drove it home and parked it in the garage. Because the airbags deployed, the insurance company is going to declare it totaled, but I'm going to buy it back. I got 55 miles to the gallon coming home. If at all possible, I want that car!
Never a dull moment. Son gets married, daughter has high-risk baby, deer hits car. All in less than a week :)
It certainly makes me believe in divine providence.
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6 comments:
I'm glad to hear you're okay. I hit a deer once as well. It was just a small one and it jumped out just as I came up to its position and I actually only hit its head because the timing was that exact. It was dead instantly which was good but I was driving my friend's van and he wouldn't let me drive the rest of the way home. Another time in the middle of the night driving at 60 I whizzed by a moose standing in the other lane. I've seen the damage they do so I'm thankful that neither of us hit one of those. Godspeed with the car!
Sorry to hear about your car! I hope it won't take too much work to get it back in running condition (If you buy it back)
You don't know me, but I'm a friend of Joel & Renee's. I have a small package I would like to send them, but don't want to bother them with getting an address. Do you have a mailing address available? If so could you e-mail it to me? My e-mail is amy.chung@iteams.org
I have posted on their website as "The Chung's" and our blog is http://theotherchungfamily.blogspot.com/
and Renee posted there as well (just in case you want to make sure I'm not some nutjob! :)
Thank you very much,
Amy Chung
PS Congratulations on another beautiful granddaughter!
I'm pleased to hear you escaped unharmed, even if the deer and your car didn't.
I was driving through Yellowstone National Park one time at about 1:30 am. I came around a curve and encountered a herd of 8-9 bison running straight at me up the road. I slammed on my brakes and managed to come to a stop. The bison continued running, but fortunately they all moved into the other lane and thundered past me.
And while I was in Maryland, a friend had her car totaled by a deer. She was driving through an area where they had cut a hill in half to put the road through. A deer was apparently running at the top of the hill and had leaped over the fence, only to find that the other half of the hill was not there. It plummeted about 25 feet and crashed through the roof of her car. Fortunately, it hit the back seat, so she was not injured too badly.
I'm glad the damage to you and your car was less severe. Did they at least let you take the venison home?
Glad to hear you're OK. Too bad the venison isn't much good after you hit 'em...
My insurance company tells me my motorcycle is covered if I hit a deer. Somehow, that's not terribly comforting!
I think what they meant is your motorcycle will be covered with deer!
Andy,
I would not be too thrilled either :) I think Kevin's assessment is accurate. I hope you never find out!
James
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