I believe in Angels

So yesterday was one scary day. I honestly do not know how myself and Mark walked out of that accident alive and barely with any scratches.

Yesterday, myself and Mark decided to take a drive to Galveston from Houston. It’s literally and hour and a bit drive through to the beach. However, twenty minutes into our journey disaster struck.

A massive truck, pulled into the lane next to ours, knocking a women in her black car into a spin, which forced her into a side slam of our rented SUV. The next thing I know is we were rolling, I don’t recall too much because I think the shock knocked it out of me, but according to witnesses Mark and I rolled 4 times in our SUV and then landed back on our wheels.

All I remember next was Mark shouting get out the car (he was concerned we would be hit again). When I opened the door I collapsed to the floor and immediately went into a MASSIVE panic attack. I couldn’t breath, I couldn’t respond to Mark I just felt like my chest was caving in on me. Mark immediately helped me to the side of the highway and lodged me up against the wall. He made me focus on him, as he tried to bring my breathing down (Forgetting his own injuries to focus on me).

The truck that hit the first car continued to drive on, until he was eventually caught further down the road (from my understanding) by other drivers.

Instantaneously cars stopped and blocked the highway to protect us. People got out of their cars and rushed to our sides. One woman was a four year medical student and I really wish I remembered her name, but she immediately saw the panic attack and tried to calm me down. She was amazing, running to get me water, calling 911 and not leaving my side. Another elderly lady ran across to me after checking on the women in the black car, she kept talking to me and squeezing my hands and helping me to calm down. She immediately began praying over me and thanking God for sparing myself and Mark (such later went and prayed over Mark with him).

The panic attack lasted quiet some time and it honestly felt like my entire world was caving in on me and closing my chest. Mark, my rock, after realizing that there were people around me caring to my needs, ran back to the car to start collecting our things and to help control the accident and assist the police with what had happened.

The Houston Fire team arrived on the scene and immediately placed me on a stretcher and loaded me into the cool ambulance, where they began checking my vitals while trying to assist me in calming down. My head felt like it wanted to explode, my back was killing me and I was still trying to calm down and get my body to stop shaking. My emotions were everywhere and after all this time of working hard on controlling them, I lost them completely. My Rock (Mark), on the other hand was outside, he was calmly taking care of everything else and demanded that I get help before him due to my medical history with anxiety and the mood disorder. He demanded the ambulance take me to the hospital after I told them No I didn’t want to go.

He placed me before anything else, he swerved to take the impact from his side, again placing his life before mine. I am blessed that we had Angels protecting us as we rolled and rolled and rolled (this was by far the worse accident in my entire life).

The most surprising thing to me was the people here in Texas, how they jump out to help one another – this country is truly amazing. They care for one another here; if this happened back home we most likely would have been robbed while on the side of the road.

These past few weeks have been a hard one, with my mental breakdown earlier, the passing of our brother-in-law back in South Africa (just 2 days ago) and now this accident. One thing is for sure family is thicker than any friendship.

To my sister (and I truly consider her a sister not a sister-in-law), Patty, who was by my side in the hospital helping me to stay calm and remained by my side through everything. To Juan, my brother (I don’t see him as a brother-in-law), who rushed back to be by Marks side, to ensuring he was ok and to help with the police documents. To Patty forcing Mark to get checked too – We owe you guys so much, and appreciate everything you have done for us.

To the ambulance/Houston fire team, that rushed me to the hospital and kept trying to calm me down. I thank you for all your help and assistance. (Pic of the team below)

To the friendly nurses and doctors at Memorial Hermann hospital, that treat Mark and I with such care and grace – Thank you, for friendly smiles and thorough check ups.

To Patty and Juan, thank you for everything, there is no words to thank you for being by our sides through this whole ordeal.

To our Angels sent from God to protect us, I say Thank you and AMEN.