So I had originally written about God's amazing ability to protect in a vague, make-of-it-what-you-will
entry, simply because the experience was something I normally wouldn't share about in my public blog. After all, I don't know who reads this thing, and the people who it would actually be of any concern to would hear about it from either me or Tiffany, in person. After careful thought, however, I felt that I would be passing up a significant opportunity to testify to God's work in our lives. My
previous attempt to testify couldn't do justice to the awe of His capabilities, because in all its ambiguity, it gave no perspective of how serious the accident actually was, or how horrific the outcome could have been. So I'm making public my entry from my private journal, putting something out there that was quite personal, in hopes that my readers, Christian or not, can see just one incident of how unbelievable God's protection is...
Today, after church, Tiffany and I were heading to Santa Monica to celebrate the commencement of our GRE & CPA exams with a day of shopping, but we didn't quite make it that far. About 10 minutes into our drive on the 60 freeway, while we were in the 2nd lane from the right, a black explorer on our right began to merge into our lane pretty quickly. He apparently didn't see us, as I believe we were in his blind spot, but Tiffany quickly swerved to the left, and that's when we lost control. Our car began to swerve left to right, right to left, across the three left-most lanes as Tiffany tried to stabilize it, and then launched itself into a headlong spin, spinning 360 degrees counterclockwise, and then another 180 degrees before slamming into the median.
It was a most horrific experience. As we were swerving, I was watching Tiffany's hands on the wheel, confused, and it took me a few seconds to register that she was trying to stabilize the car, and wasn't actually doing the swerving purposely. We were still going at full speed, probably around 80 mph, and I could hear the tires squeal every time we swerved. It's a miracle that no other cars hit us while we were swerving back and forth across the three lanes. I don't know what exactly launched us into a spin, but the car flowed smoothly and chillingly from one of the swerves into a spin that was completely surreal. As we were spinning across the freeway, the visual aspect was exactly like one you would witness from the inside of a spinning car in the movies, but completely horrifying. I sat trying to think of what would stop the awful spin, both hoping for it to come soon and simultaneously terrified of the impact.
As the median came into view, I had a shocking realization that
that, the thin slab of concrete dividing us from the eastbound traffic, was what was going to stop us, if indeed it did. As the median approached, it came not in slow motion but quite rapidly, but several sequences played out in my head in that short time. It was as if time didn't slow for my thoughts, but instead, my thoughts came saliently with amazing speed to fit into the time that was allotted before impact. I pictured us slamming into the median, glass shattering and raining down on us from the windshield and windows. I pictured the rear end of the car completely smashed into a broken concrete median and extending slightly into the shoulder of the opposite side. I pictured Tiffany and myself being carried from the car on bloodied stretchers by paramedics.
I braced myself for the impact.
The car swung around another 180 degrees after a 360 spin, and the passenger side of the car smashed into the median, front end first, then the back end hitting and aligning the car parallel to the median. And it didn't feel like the horrible impact I had been anticipating. Quite in contrast, I barely felt it. But my side of the car was smashed into the median, and as we sat, facing the oncoming traffic, I could smell the stench of burning rubber. Tiffany and I each made sure the other was physically alright, and we evacuated the car, me climbing over to exit on the driver's side.
Tiffany was in tears, and I was surprised by my composure and eerie calmness as I called 911 (whose recording put me on hold for an appalling two minutes before an operator spoke with me, might I add). I think that, being as emotional as I am characteristically, if I had been with any other person, I would've been the one to break down in tears and become a hysterical wreck. But being with Tiffany, who I could see was emotionally distraught, gave me the burst of adrenaline to stay numb and calm to the situation, and to keep a level head. More so than the adrenaline, I really believe it was God who was guiding my actions post-trauma, because there is no way in the world I alone could've been that composed after such a shocking experience.
We held each other as we prayed on the left shoulder of the freeway, cars whizzing by us, several kind drivers stopping to ask if we needed help, and we really praised God for his protection, for his provision over us and everyone else who was on the freeway whom we could have so easily hit as we were spinning out of control. Looking back on all the elements of the accident, I really don't see how things could've played out the way they did without God's intervention. The traffic on the freeway at the time was not sparse, and yet we came into contact with not a single vehicle as we lost control. I'm no physicist, but I'm sure we collided with the concrete median at no less than 60 mph, and yet Tiffany and I are both unscathed aside from some bruising from the seatbelt and serious whiplash. God not only guided my actions after the impact, but his hands were definitely working through Tiffany's before the crash, as well. As we were speaking with CHP after the accident, Tiffany recalled that she never slammed on the brakes, and she didn't know why. After all, isn't it simply one's natural reaction to hit the brakes when you want your car to stop? But if she had applied the brakes while we were in mid-swerve or mid-spin, our car most likely would've flipped over, something that brings shudders to my spine just at the thought of it. There's no way I nor Tiffany could've acted in the ways that we did without God right there, working through us.
Reflecting on the day right now, in the safety of my bedroom, it's all really starting to sink in, and I'm getting the trembles simply recounting the events that made up the last twelve hours. We started with church, then fellowship, then anticipated having a care-free day, shopping and photographing at the promenade before coming home for small group, just like any other Sunday.
Life can be so fickle and, at the same time, so resilient.
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If you've read this post, I do have several prayer requests that pertain to this incident. I pray:
- that no serious chiropractic problems manifest themselves post-incident as a result of this accident. Our head and neck pains have already been intensifying since the accident, and let's pray that they'll peak at nothing more serious than a really bad headache.
- for the driver of the black SUV. He never came forward after the accident, and we believe that (1) he was oblivious to the entire incident and never realized that his carelessness had caused another vehicle to crash, or (2) that he realized what had happened and drove away, afraid to be held accountable for what could have, for all he knew, resulted in the death of two girls. If it was the latter, I pray that his conscience be cleared of any guilt, because I understand how panic could cause him to initially want to flee. However, I pray that he remember this incident as a reminder to be more careful while driving in the future. If he never realized what was caused as a result of his negligence, I pray for God to alternatively instill in him more concern for safe driving, so that events like this could be prevented in the future.
- about the financial aftermath regarding Tiffany's car, and that whatever the outcome, it will not place an unmanageable burden on her family.
Please be careful when you're driving. Don't multi-task or drive while under the influence! Also, be alert of other cars on the road. You can never predict what may be going on in the car next to you, and how distracted
they might be.
On Friday, Matty and I ventured south for a day at the acclaimed San Diego Zoo to peer at pandas, polar bears, and komodo dragons, but were stopped short en route due to the curse of Black Friday congestion on the road. Taking a detour, we found ourselves at Balboa Island in the affluent coastal city of Newport Beach.
We strolled amidst the quaint boutiques and eateries and found ourselves upon a bridge, festively adorned with holiday wreaths and aromatic garland. How lovely! We watched as friendly passerbys exchanged smiles in the late morning sun, and a pair of amiable old men cruised by in a vintage buggy. From the bridge, we could see the masts of many a sailboat and plenty of yachts, docked safely in the marina, ready for their next intrepid adventure at sea.
Hunger tugged at our stomachs, and we made our way to Fashion Island, where we shopped naught and ate plenty, treating ourselves to the best of Italia -- lasagna and gelato! We strolled among the well-to-do and relished the merry scent of the holidays in the hustle and bustle of the crowd. As the winter chill settled upon us, we headed back home for the warm comfort of a Korean dinner at our favorite local restaurant. What a pleasant and unexpected turn of events from our formerly planned day!
With tummies full and a young night ahead, we traipsed over to Downtown Brea to take in the sights and sounds of the small town and purchased admission for two to the long-awaited screening of Twilight, a terrible silver screen adaptation of an already mediocre book. We emerged from the theatres and stepped into a cool winter's dusk, ready to go home and spend another evening at home, playing video games with my baby brothers.
Saturday marked our second attempt to visit the friendly critters at the zoo thirty minutes north of the Mexican border. This time, the freeways greeted us with open arms and open lanes. We arrived as the late morning sun warmed the 100-acre stretch of land, home to so many exotic animals, (hopefully) well taken care of by well-trained animal lovers at heart.
After having our picture taken before the grand elephant standing guard at the entrance, we moseyed in through the gates and, per request of the boy in the boyfriend, headed first to the reptile house. We spied a myriad of creatures I would have never approached had there not been a thick pane of glass between us, including a komodo dragon twice my size,
All in all, 'twas yet another gosh darned merry and memorable day with my beloved! The end!
