Illegal or unsafe SPEED is a leading
contributing factor in Mn. fatal crashes
SLOW DOWN
Tammy Jo Johnson
I HAD A DREAM, I HAD A LIFE, I HAD A PLAN
After graduating from highschool, it seemed as though my life was taking on a new and very special meaning. I had a terrific summer job doing intern clerical work while busily making final preparations for college in the fall. I was involved in many outdoor activities. My favorite sports were downhill skiing, basketball, softball and rollerblading.
At this time there were many great friendships in my life. Every day I spent with my friends included a lot of laughter, shopping, fun in the sun, more shopping, parties and yes BOYS were very high on our agenda! I loved life, I loved my friends, we talked and talked and planned our futures and went out as often as possible. I loved my family, I loved my church. Being an outstanding student with a GPA of 3.4 it wasn’t difficult getting accepted to the college of my choice The University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.
A few of my favorite memories include;
- Being a nanny in California during my junior year in high school.
- A plane trip to Atlanta with my church. There were 37,000 individuals promoting the “TO BE ALIVE” program.
- Taking my two nephews Brandon and Patrick to work with me as part of the “bring a kid to work day”.
- The Whitecapp mountains. Downhill skiing
- My senior prom, the pictures, the limo and all my friends just being together.
- In my senior year I took a caligraphy class. One huge project included preparing many samples and labeling my photo albums.
- Spending my senior break in Carmel, California.
- Working the pop booth at the Renaissance Fair
- Writing a quote to my “bonus” stepmother who in turn had it published.
I loved my family and my church but being with friends is what I enjoyed most at this time of my life. It seemed like life just couldn't have been better.
AND then... in a minute, everything changed! Normally I was a very attentive and conscientious driver, almost fanatic about always wearing my seatbelt and considered myself a very good driver.
Then one July afternoon, amid the 5 pm-traffic hour, while on my way home my cell phone rang. When I answered that call my plan changed and I agreed to meet a friend back down town. Because of my expectation of a good time, I became super excited as I hung up the phone and was no longer attentive to my driving. Not paying attention I turned left into on-coming traffic… AND WAS HIT!
Some of my injuries included a collapsed lung and left side deficit. My body function losses are all caused by brain damage. TBI - (traumatic brain injury) means my brain messages remain impaired. A foot surgery was required to straighten my foot that kept turning inward. I was in a coma for 4 ½ months at North Memorial Hospital and THC (a Transitional Hospital). When they transferred me back to North Memorial I was given a special room with a TV monitor because I was still not awake and would most often become highly agitated.
In December, I spoke my first words; “Good morning mom, I love you.” The day after Christmas they transferred me to Bethesda Lutheran Hospital where I stayed for seven months of rehab, still in an agitated state. One day when I tried to get out of bed, I was asked what I was doing; I told the staff that “I’m going to follow my dad home.” As a safety measure they then put a restraint on me and put me into what is called a “net bed” also they tied my right leg down so I wouldn’t hurt myself. Now when my family visited they had to zip open this net bed and be sure to zip it closed when they left. My right leg was constantly in motion. When my parents left, I would holler “rescue me.” I remember the net bed; it was like an upside-down crib, more like a cage.
“What state am I in? Rescue me and Reagan is president” was the total extent of my communication at this time. One year after my crash I went home and for the next year I went to Wayzata-Rehab and a Courage Adult Day Program. Then I went to live at a Courage Residence for seven months. Two years after my crash I went to stay at my first Group home in Eden Prairie. I was there for one year, but it didn’t work out so I returned home for a year, attending ASDP (Adult Structured Day program) every day.
Today my life as it is, is normal considering my short-term memory loss. Although my right side works, I have a left side deficit, but I keep working out in therapy. Because I improve some each day, I no longer attend Courage therapy and they feel I have reached a plateau. I work out every day and have walked with my dad saying; “I will show them!”
A special surprise for everyone was standing up alone on my 20th birthday.
My friends from “before the crash” are now history. They do not call because ‘I am different and communications are difficult.’ Today my parents and minister are my closest support. After the crash while still in a coma, many of my friends came to visit. They wrote comments and feelings about how much they cared in my ‘visitation book,’ which was placed nearby for that purpose. With time their visits have faded, they’ve gone on with their own lives. I often wish I could still be a part of their lives. My family is everything to me. Sometimes I have feelings of fear, sadness and frustration. My biggest frustration was losing contact with my special friend Jo. We shared the same middle name of Jo. We were ALWAYS there for each other and our favorite drink was Dr. Pepper. We drifted apart when Jo went on to college.
About my today life, I just deal with it and keep as mobile as possible by working out every day. One area of concern, is my sometimes loss of control using inappropriate verbal skills and swearing. I am aware that prior to the crash I would NEVER use such profanity. Usually I am aware after I swear and feel frustration when it happens. I work very hard to be positive.
Before closing: “I want to convey the following message to one and all.”
“Please always pay attention, a momentary loss of attention can cause a lifetime loss.”
All because of one quick phone call and a change of plan, I became totally inattentive to my driving by thinking about something else!
Remember me as I am today… This COULD happen to you too!!!
My residence now is not that Wisconsin College dorm, nor that very special apartment of my own. Those are now a lost dream. Today, I am just thankful for my group home where I receive all the assistance that I need.
Everyday I thank God for being alive. One day soon I want to speak with those doctors in ER who saved my life and personally say “Thank You”
Property of Tammi Johnson and Minnesotans For Safe Driving
 |
| 12/22/87 - 5/12/03 |
The plight of the dragonfly is both heart wrenching and heartwarming. She begins in a most unassuming manner….as a lowly grub on the bottom of a pond. But, like caterpillars to butterflies, metamorphosis works and she grows out of this common status, rises forcefully to break the surface, and takes beautiful wings up and out of the water.
This wonderful transformation is tempered by the dragonfly's plight…she cannot return to visit her friends at the bottom of the pond. And, even if the grubs could see her flying above the water, they wouldn't recognize her…she isn't the same.
Vanessa is our dragonfly.
Vanessa was a vibrant, energetic 15-year old, dividing her time between school, athletics, and an after-school job. Like other teens, she loved shopping, music, and talking on the phone with her friends for hours. What set Vanessa apart from others was her compassion and eagerness to help people. She gladly shared what she had with those less fortunate, and enjoyed helping classmates who were struggling.
Vanessa died on May 12, 2003 from injuries sustained in a single-vehicle accident. She was a passenger in a car that lost control on a gravel road and rolled; all three passengers were ejected. While the other two were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries and released, Vanessa was air-lifted to a regional trauma center where she died two hours later from extensive internal injuries…she never regained consciousness.
Could this accident have been prevented? Absolutely. The driver was unlicensed and inexperienced, without formal driver's training….she celebrated her 15th birthday just four days before the accident; she was using excessive speed and driving inattentively (adjusting the radio); no one in the car was wearing a seat belt. Clearly, there are simple, yet heart wrenching lessons here for all of us.
But, now comes the heartwarming part. Vanessa's death is really the beginning of her new life. Her spirit is alive and taking flight, like the dragonfly. The fact that we cannot see or communicate with her is only because we don't easily recognize her in this new state, this marvelous goodness. I believe that Vanessa will continue to help people because her story and her sense of duty can serve as a reminder to young people to drive attentively, obey traffic laws, and buckle up.
This dragonfly lives in each of us. May Vanessa's spirit, her lesson, live in each of you.
Driving is a privilege, and must be taken seriously. Please remember that as you get behind the wheel to drive.
Mary Weiss, Vanessa's mother
(Facing life without you, Vanessa, is very hard to bear, because losing you the way we did will always seem unfair. You left behind some broken hearts, some happy memories, too, but we never wanted memories, we only wanted you.)
Adam Zick
Adam Zick only got to be sixteen for three months. He was riding in a car with two buddies when the driver looked back to talk to the guy in the back seat. When he did this, the driver's hands followed his head and the car moved from its lane. Adam yelled to the driver to "look out" and those were his last words.
The driver overcorrected his mistake and ultimately lost control of the vehicle. They were going 64 mph in a 55 mph zone on a paved country road with very steep farm ditches on either side. When the out-of-control vehicle left the road it overturned 1 1/2 times and landed upside down on the incline with the primary impact point being the front passenger side where Adam was sitting.
Adam didn't die right away. It took the paramedics a long time to get him out of the car. As he was being air lifted to the hospital, they determined that there was nothing more they could do to save him and he died somewhere in the air over southwestern Minnesota.
Most teenagers that die in car crashes are not buckled in; Adam was wearing his seatbelt Most accidents that kill teenagers happen on weekend nights; Adam died on a Tuesday, during daylight hours. Oftentimes alcohol or drugs are a factor in serious teen accidents; blood tests showed definitively that alcohol or drug use was not involved.
The driver was just not paying attention. Distractions are a leading cause of fatal accidents. Using the phone, too many people in the car, loud music, and many other things can compete for the driver's attention when it should be focused solely on the task of driving.
102 E. Thomas - Marshall, Minnesota 56258
JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING
Dave Cobb
 |
| Dave Cobb |
Hey Dave, How's it going? "Just ducky, man" And things really were like that for Dave. He had a girlfriend, Andrea. He had friends at school who sought him out because he was a good listener. His best friend Mike and he played music together. Basically, Dave was cool. Life was good, until one March afternoon. It was Andrea's birthday. Dave got out of school early to take her to lunch. He caught a ride home with Jim and an acquaintance from school. In his little Honda, Jim, going too fast following a truck too closely, jerked the wheel, lost control and sent the compact into a skid at 60 miles per hour. They skidded for a short distance before a Ford F-150 smashed into the passenger side exactly where Dave was sitting. Dave didn't have a chance. His head was hit directly and he was knocked out instantly. Two days later, the massive brain trauma ended this 17 years olds very young life. Dave was my son. All the hopes and dreams our entire family and all his friends had for him vanished. All the sharing of love and good times, and all the living left to do - it was all gone in an instant. Violently ripped away. My message to you: EASE UP! Following too closely, speeding, feeling urgent about getting somewhere and pushing the limits to get there quickly could easily cost you much more than you want to pay. Much more! Trust me, you don't want to pay that price. Be a good example for your kids. Take a deep breath and practice cautious driving. And spread the word - irresponsible aggressive driving is deadly. We love you Dave,
Mom, Dad, Amanda & Josh
Erik ANDERSON Erik was 16 and about to start his senior year in High School and was so looking forward to life and all it held. At his age the world was at his fingertips. He had a unique gift for carpentry, loved music, his family and friends and the simple life. But instead, life offered him no future or dreams; on the morning of February 16* as a passenger in a careless driving crash, his life ended. Unfortunately, these youngsters liked to race each other back to the school and fool around on the roads nearby. But this time one of them would pay the price for playing behind the wheel and it was Erik my only child, my son. As the car raced at a crazy high speed to pass a car of fellow students, the driver pulled back in front of them too fast and lost control. The car spun around, airborne at this high rate of speed slamming the passenger side of the car into a line of trees snapping them down like toothpicks and flipping over a gravel road and landing upright in a ditch. The driver's side was eerily untouched BUT Erik's side was a mangled mess of tin. My son lay unconscious, slowly dying while waiting for help to come. Erik was airlifted to the hospital but went into cardiac arrest before they landed. He died from massive internal bleeding of severed organs, blunt force trauma. I will never see him graduate from high school or be apart of all the wonderful life events that mom's look forward to sharing with their sons. In the blink of an eye, lives change forever when their loved ones needlessly die. To all young people playing games behind the wheel, STOP, SLOW DOWN. The life you save just might be your own. Think of Erik in a casket carried by his school friends to his final resting place. It isn't cool to kill one of your friends. Believe me, this could just as easily have been you. In death, I want Erik's story to help teach others the true dangers of reckless driving and hopefully save lives. I Love you forever Erik Erik's website is http://erikscottanderson.memory-of.com/
Mom