I Drove In To A House
Today is the one year anniversary of the day I wrecked my car in to a house. I wish I were kidding, I wish it was a joke, but last year at this time I should have died.
Today is the one year anniversary of the day I wrecked my car in to a house. I wish I were kidding, I wish it was a joke, but last year at this time I should have died.
I was really pressed for time. My normal lunch hour is 1 PM, but on this particular day I was supposed to be at the library at 11 am for an interview. Let me explain Griffith Avenue to my friends that aren't familiar with Owensboro-it's not the richest street in Owensboro, KY-but it's up there. I NEVER go down Griffith Avenue! EVER!
As I am rushing to get to the library it occurs to me, “Oh wait, Griffith Ave will take you straight to the library!” So, I pull on to Griffith Ave, and I wasn’t even half way down it, when I came up on a curve. I remember thinking, “Why the hell is there a curve on Griffith Ave?”
I tap the breaks to slow down, but the pavement is slippery and I am starting to swirve-and I can't get control of the car-and I'm going up in to someone's yard and I STILL can't get in control of the car! There is a HUGE oak tree and my first thought was, “I'M GOING TO DIE LIKE SONNY BONO AND I'M NEVER GOING TO SEE MY HUSBAND, FAMILY OR, FRIENDS AGAIN!” I swerve and miss the tree by two feet.
WHAM!
The car hit's the person's living room and the car finally comes to a stop. I go to close my eyes and I want to go to sleep but there's smoke everywhere and I want to see Trenton again. I go to open the car door but I can't get out-my seat belt is trapped around me, and there is smoke everywhere.
I press the seat belt. It unlocks. I'M OUT! I'm not trapped anymore! I open the car door and I realize my shoes aren't on my feet! I can’t see anything. Where are my glasses? I hit the house so hard it knocked my shoes off my feet, and the glasses off my face!
"HELP! HELP! HELP! My name is Maegan Hagan and I've been in an accident and I need someone's help!" I’m screaming.
I am now running on Griffith Avenue like a crazy person with no shoes on!
A woman in a house coat sees me. It must be the person's next door neighbor that I hit. She comes up to me and her first reaction is to give me a hug! God bless the people in Owensboro!
She said, "Honey! Are you alright?"
I said, "My name is Maegan Hagan and I live at 1-0-3 Fielden Avenue, my husband is Trenton Hagan and I've just lost control of my car and hit your neighbor’s house! I need someone to make sure I didn't hurt them!"
She said, "Oh no! It's an old couple too! "The woman in the house coat runs up to their house and a man comes up to me and says, "Hon, do you need me to call anyone?" And I screamed, "270-240-1250!!! Trenton Hagan! He's my husband!" The man is telling Trenton that I've been in an accident on Griffith Avenue and he needs to hurry because it's bad. I started screaming and then a woman who I can only describe as my guardian angel gets out of her vehicle. She has blonde hair and she is beautiful and she holds my head to where I see only her. She said, "I need you to calm down. It's going to be okay. My name is Vickie Belcher and I was driving and I just came up on this accident. I'm a paramedic."
I said, "Vickie my name is Maegan Hagan and I hit those people's house and I need to make sure they're okay!" The woman in the house robe comes up from behind me and she says, "They must not be home." But, I'm not understanding her! Vickie repeats what she said, "Maegan, did you hear that? They weren't home! They are okay!"
I start crying harder, "Oh God Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!! "
Vickie Belcher tells me to calm down and hold still. She holds my head the entire time to where I'm looking at only her. She tells the woman in the bath robe that she needs her to call an ambulance. I was going in to shock.
Vickie Belcher holds my head and asks me, "Are you hurt anywhere?"
"My arm is hurting! And my stomach and my boob. My left leg and my right leg."
I remember looking down for a second and there is blood all over my stomach and my arm. "Do you have anything wrong with you?" Vickie asks.
"Just generalized anxiety!"
"Do you take any meds for that?"
"No!"
She said, "That's good Maegan. The fire truck is going to be here in a few seconds and I'll be able to help you more then. I’m a paramedic."
"You're a paramedic?? That's REALLY good luck!" I say and I start to laugh.
The police officer arrives on scene and Vickie Belcher starts talking to him. Everything after that seems blurry but I remember Vickie never leaves my side the whole time. She was wonderful. She's my angel. The ambulance gets there an a male paramedic gets out and starts talking to Vickie. Vickie helps me get on the gurny, and then I get put on the ambulance.
The male paramedic is talking, "Your name is Maegan? My wife's name is Maegan."
Trenton gets on the ambulance, "Oh my God! Is she okay? My name's Trenton Hagan and I am her husband."
The paramedic is asking me questions. “How fast were you going?”
“I don’t know. The speed limit?”
The paramedic looks at me, “Okay, so you were going like 30 mph?
“I’m not sure! I usually drive really slowly because I’m a new driver! I just started driving this year.”
We get to the hospital and everyone is working on me, and getting my vitals. I look at Trenton who is crying. “Oh my God! I’m so sorry, Trenton! I wrecked our only working vehicle!”
He came near the bed, “No! It’s not that! We can get a new car! I can’t ever get a new wife!” He grabs me and hugs me and cries even harder.
The police officer comes in the room. They are asking a lot of questions about how fast I was going.” To be honest, maybe I was going faster than I thought! I was really pressed for time! I was supposed to be at the library at 11, and I took my lunch at 11.
I start to cry and the police officer comes closer to my bed, “I’ve been a police officer for over 26 years, and I know you were going at least 65 mph. And if you had hit that tree, your story would be very different. We would be across the hall right now.” He motioned across the hall where the ICU is.
I shook my head and started crying thinking about the old people that owned the house. What if I had hit their house at a different time, and they were home? I cry even harder, “I’m SO sorry!” The police officer taps my foot, “It’s okay, just be careful next time.”
It’s been a year since the accident. I still keep in contact with Vickie Belcher. There are so many people I still want to talk to. Like, the owners of the home. I want to tell them I'm sorry for being so reckless.
I took a lot away from that day. In the end, there was not much damage done to the house I drove in to. I broke a statue of an angel they had in their front yard, and I really messed their lawn up. There was a tiny crack in their wall from where I hit it. In the end they were paid out very well by the insurance company, and I bought a new car the following week. I still have a hard time driving on days that it’s rained. I still go very slowly, and if I’m pressed for time I move my schedule around. I’ll get there eventually. And I’d rather get there, than leave there in a body bag. My actions affect everyone around me, both good and bad. That day my actions effected several people. And to all of those people I would just like to say thank you, and I’m sorry.
Become a Community Contributor.
