Thank You!

I have wanted to tell this story for many years since it occurred when I was 16, and I am now 67. This is the perfect place and I hope the people involved who helped me and my friends so many years ago will see it and know how truly grateful I am to them.

I was riding in the back seat of a car when suddenly the car slid off of the wet road and turned upside down. The roof of the car was crushed and my head was trapped in the rear window. I could not move my head because of the glass on my face and the pressure from the roof. I was terrified and prayed. It was raining and I was afraid the ditch we were in would fill up with water or the car would catch fire. This was before seat belts and we were all tumbled about. My four friends were stunned but managed to get out of the car. They tried to help me but could not release me. Some of them tried to stop other cars to help us as they were injured also.

I remember many people standing around but they did not seem to know how to help. An ambulance even went by, but I guess it was on its way to another accident and did not stop. Then two male truck drivers came forward and helped. They got a car jack and pried apart the roof and top of the car and released me then helped me out of the car. Then two young women stepped forward and offered to take me and my cousin to the hospital. I knew immediately that I had hurt my back and I was in a lot of pain.

At the hospital I was x-rayed and it was determined that I had two crushed vertebrae so I was put in traction. At some point the cuts on my face were also stitched up and I was given pain medicine.

The next day the two young women who had brought me to the hospital came back to check on me. I was told later that they seemed to be down on their luck. They had taken my clothes, washed and brought my clean clothes back to the hospital. I was asleep and under the influence of the pain medicine so unfortunately did not get to see them that day and would never ever see them again.

After 4 weeks of great care and being in traction flat on my back I was released from the hospital in a back brace. I have not had any problems from the accident except for a few small minor scars. In time my friends recovered well also.

I never saw the men or women again since the day they rescued me. No one at the hospital had any information about them so I could not get in contact. They just helped me and then went on their way. They did not expect anything in return as I never heard from them again. I call them my guardian angels as I had prayed for help while terrified and trapped in that car.

This event occurred in the South in 1958 in the South. A time of segregation between the "black" people and "white" people. As a young person growing up in a small town, I never felt any animosity to or from African Americans. We seemed to get along though looking back on their situation I know now how difficult and humiliating life that it was for them. I would like to apologize for that ignorance. As it happens, the two men who were so kind to help me out of the car were African American.

At this time I would like to say thank you as I have said many times in remembering them in my daily prayers. Wherever you are I hope life has been good and kind to you as you were to me. I hope in many ways you have been rewarded in this life for your bravery and kindness.

I would like to say that your bravery and kindness has made me more brave and kind, but that is an attribute that I pray for daily also.

Submitted by Anonymous

Gratitude