Hello sweet friends......   I have tried to decide all day long, if I wanted to share this post at all, and if by sharing this post would it simply be just for me......for me to open up and share the sorrow I am feeling at this time.   

As many of you know, I have a niece who had a brain injury at the age of 3.   She was in a car wreck with her mother and stepdad and suffered head trauma as well as multiple injuries.  Her mom and stepdad died in the wreck.   Because of this, my parents raised her and since my mom and dad have both passed away, I now take care of her.  

She attends a residential village that takes care of adults with mild to moderate disabilities.  Tammy is on the day program there, which means I take her 3 days a week from 8:30 in the morning until  4:00 in the afternoon.  I can not say Enough GREAT things about this place.  They are all like one big family!!  And....the best thing about BVT is that it is a Christian Based facility.  We are very Blessed to have this so close to our home.   

This past Saturday, two bus loads of residents and day hab adults, where on their way to participate in a "Special Olympics Event."
The location of this event was about 75 miles away.  Sam took Tammy over to the village around 5:30 Saturday morning, as the bus would be leaving around 6:00.  

Around 8:45, I had a call from one of the staff members that was traveling on the 2nd bus, and I could hear a panic tone in her voice as she spoke to me.   I ask her if everything was OK and she told me, NO....that they were not ok.   She proceeded to tell me that one of the buses had had a roll over and that my niece was on that bus.

She then continued by telling me that the driver of the bus had had some kind of medical emergency (heart attack or stroke) and that he had died.   This was the cause for the roll over and that many of the occupants had cuts and bruises but that she they were ok.  

Sam and I rushed out the door and drove to the scene of the accident.  It was the longest hour and a half,  driving that 75 miles.       After seeing the bus, I could not believe that there were no other fatalities.  The disabled adults on the bus had to be pulled out through the windows of the bus and many suffered cuts due to the broken glass.   All of the doors on the bus were blocked or lodged... no way to exit through the doors.  

Of course, they all were in shock and bleeding.   I finally found Tammy, as they had secured all of those involved in the wreck, in individual cars for their safety and to be checked out by the medical team.  

I was almost beside myself by the time I reached Tammy.   She was in shock and shaking all over.  Sam and I got her in our car and took her to the ER to be checked out, as she had glass in her hand and bruising as well as small cuts.  It was while we were in the car, that I had to tell her that the driver of the bus, who was her teacher for the pass three years, and her very special friend, had died of a heart attack or stroke while he was driving and that this was the reason for the wreck.  

My heart hurt so much, to see the pain that she was in as she learned about the loss of this wonderful man.   He was a huge asset to the BVT village and a very special person in Tammy's life.  

Late last night, I found myself in a state of exhaustion and frustration.   I was deeply saddened that Tammy had to experience yet another accident in which someone she cared so deeply about, had passed away.   The accident when she was 3 that left her with brain damage and would change her life forever, and... the loss of her mother and stepdad.   And now, this accident where she suffered pain and the loss of her dear leader and friend.  

So often, it is hard for us to understand things like this.   Why must things happen like this?.....to someone who is so precious?   I had myself a good long cry.   I needed to release the pain that I had in my heart.  I was sad for my sweet niece, and I was sad about the loss of my friend too.   There were so many times when Sylvester would give me great encouragement concerning Tammy's goals and achievements.  He would go out of his way to try to meet the schedule that I had when picking Tammy up from class each day.

He would set goals for Tammy to reach and he would always contact me to let me know she had made great improvements.  Tammy has limited use of her right hand, and Sylvester was determined to help her gain some movement back in that hand.  I will never forget how extremely excited he was, the day Tammy was able to squeeze a ball with enough strength to pop the little top off of it.    

This will be a difficult week for BVT as the residents and the Day Hab adults return for class.  It can be very difficult to try to balance pain with the everyday life that must go on.   Please keep them all in your prayers.  Pray for the family of our teacher/friend who passed away.  

Psalm: 34:18

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm:  73:26

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Thank you for allowing me to share my heart and my sorrow.  

BTW....I found out later that there must have been a huge band of angels surrounding that bus.....because, not only were there no other fatalities from this horrific roll over accident, BUT...when the bus came to a stop....it had missed a big gas meter by about 3 feet.  
No explosion, No major injuries, and all of these disabled adults were able to survive the accident.   

God Bless,
Shug....