I'm Damn Grateful

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

Yeah, I could say the usual, but my son is alive today.

We're in the Albany, NY are where his Opa lives. Gabriel wanted to do some last-minute holiday shopping. We went to a local bookstore to get something for his mother. I was on line when I realized I'd left my phone in the car. I sent Gabriel back to get it.

About a minute later someone came into the bookstore asking for an "Ethan" and said something else. Someone rushed out and I kind of discounted it. But Gabriel didn't come back. I left my unpaid purchases on a shelf and went outside. Down the street there was a crowd around someone on the ground.

These were about the worst moments of my life when I realized the person on the ground was my son. Someone said, “He was hit by a car.” It took about twenty seconds for Gabriel to move. He was face down. There was a doctor and nurse there already. They were passers by. Then he started crying, which was f---ing music to my ears. They tested his hands and feet, and Gabriel could move them.

The EMTs and police got there pretty quickly. I had to call my wife with the terrifying message, "Our son had been hit by a car.” They put Gabriel on a stretcher board and loaded him in an ambulance. I was getting the feeling he was okay. He had bitten his tongue pretty badly, but he wasn't complaining about any other pain. It looks like he had been coming back to the store with my phone and crossed a parking lot entrance. The car had turned into the lot and hit him. It wasn't at high speed.

Long story short, he's in pretty good shape. The CAT scan found nothing wrong. His tongue is bruised and swollen, his face is a little scratched from hitting the grass alongside the sidewalk, but everything else is fine. The hospital discharged him and we went home for our traditional German Christmas Eve.

Hug your kids tight, everyone!

[Zooport]

I can't imagine how terrifying that was for you.  Holy cow.  Thank God he is OK.  That's a little Christmas miracle for you right there. 

[PonoBill]

Scary story, happy ending. Very glad it turned out that way for you. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[Night Wing]

Glad to see your son is alright and that is the best christmas gift you can receive for both you and your wife.

[TallDude]

A parents worst nightmare. I've followed my son while he was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, but it was for a broken femur, which my wife watched happen. He was 3 years old and  sport related, not car related. Just hearing you child is hurt seriously, and the time it takes for it to sink in, is scary as hell! Hit by a car.........SHIT. Glad he's doing ok. Poor guy... 
Nothing heals wounds like a Drone wrapped up with a bow on it

[WhatsSUP]

Whew!  Glad to hear the little one is okay.  Thoughts and prayers and hope you all can still enjoy today as I'm sure everyone is still a bit shaken up.

Happy Holidays.

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

I'm usually pretty good in a crisis, but I was so shaken that I could barely type my wife's number on my phone. Thank God that nurse and doctor were just there on the scene! They were doing everything, and I was just standing over my son, in shock.

Happy holidays to all of you, my friends!

[Eagle]

Whoa scary.  Good to hear just a close call.  Merry Xmas!

[SUPcheat]

Very sorry for the bad news and glad for the good news that he is OK.  That is a terrible experience for the holidays.

[yugi]

Wow. Happens so fast. Glad ended OK.

Yes, give thanks, hug your close ones often and early. While you can. Always before you need to.

Lessons learned.

Tongues heal quick. Better than most anything else! I know. I bit through mine falling off a 35 ft cliff (at night, no idea it was there). Fine now.

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

Yugi, you're sure right about the tongue healing quickly. Gabriel's tongue is about 75% better.

Now how did you fall off that cliff? This story must be told.