"Just like you"

[Kawa3]

Just read this off another site, good read.(got it off www.arcticchat.com)

After reading the helmet thread it reminded me of this. I got it from ATV Frontier. Doesn't say much about if he had a helmet or no helmet, but it does go into some of the consequences(sp?) of your actions. Not trying to be preachy or anything, just a good read I was reminded of. 



QUOTE
"I got this off of a snowmobile forum I frequent and this was written for a snowmobiler but it sure as heck applies to all of us with quads. I think you will realise why I made this a sticky after you are done reading it.


"My friends and I are probably just like you. We are all in our late twenties to early thirties, and single white males. We have pretty good jobs; some own their house, others rent. We hunt and fish, watch football and NASCAR, go to bars and church festivals. We have problems with women, like fast cars and Schwartzeneggar movies. We think we can dance, but look like Frankenstein having a seizure when a girl drags us onto the floor. We could probably switch places with any of you and fit right into your group.

We have owned sleds from all manufacturers over the years. Our first sleds were junkpiles and we still make fun of them. We work on our own sleds and help each other with theirs. We watch the weather forecasts waiting for snow and read all the snowmobiling magazines drooling over the new sleds. We put 600 miles on the truck to put 200 on the sled. We have all entered corners too fast, and all missed turns at night at one time or another. We laughed at slow riders that putted along at 15 mph. We rode with the feeling of invincibility that only youth can bring.

Our youth ended February 14, 2003.

In a small town about 10 miles South of Crandon, at 11:00 PM my friend Jim Smolen lost his life. He was only 28. He died within a half mile of the cabin, within half an hour of unloading the sleds off of the trailer. The reconstruction showed that he hit a stump under the snow, was thrown off, and hit a tree. At least he didn't suffer. Excessive speed was believed to have been involved, even though the sled wasn't wrecked. It looked like he just stepped off of it. He did have ONE or TWO beers, but I must say that I have seen people drink much more - I'm not condoning it, but I know you have too. Jim was riding as long as I can remember, 5+ years at least, riding the same sled he had for three years. We have all seen the articles in the papers that give little detail; letting us assume it was an inexperienced rider, totally drunk, on a brand new, huge displacement sled.

What the newspaper articles do not show is how it affects everyone else. They don't show the undescribable horror of seeing a close friend lying in the snow bleeding from the eyes, ears, nose and mouth. They don't show the blank stare in his unblinking eyes as you try to remember the CPR you learned in high school. They don't show the panic felt during the longest half mile you will ever ride back to the cabin to call 911. They don't show the feeling of helplessness as you spend the longest HALF HOUR of your life waiting for an ambulance. They don't tell about men who haven't prayed in years dropping to their knees and saying a prayer. They don't show the feeling of uneasiness as you drive HIS truck to the hospital. They don't show the cold you feel as you wait until 4:30AM when the doctors give you the news you already knew but still can't bring yourself to hear. They don't tell the flood of emotions you feel as you have to call your friend's parents in the middle of the night to tell them that their son has died. They don't mention that none of his friends will get any sleep for days. They don't mention the nightmares when they do. They don't tell about the DNR showing up at 8:00AM the next day to fill out paperwork and make them relive it all again. They don't tell about grown men breaking down and crying. They don't tell about the longest, quietest drive home ever.

His roommate is the one who found him, called his parents, and drove his truck home. He has closed the kitchen window blinds so he doesn't have to see his truck. He had to close the kitchen cabinet to keep from seeing his box of corn flakes. He is now afraid of the dark. Our season is over.

The human body is so frail, so easily damaged. If you have an accident in a big city, help is only about five minutes away. If you have an accident in the north woods help could be forty miles away or more. Think about it: that's like having an accident in Milwaukee and having to wait for an ambulance from Illinois. And then having to go to a hospital back in Illinois.

I am not asking for speed limits, or other restrictions. Just please, PLEASE be careful. Slow down just a little. Skip that beer and have a soda instead. Ask yourself if it is worth the consequences to go flying through the woods. Your friends WILL wait for you. Death is forever. Think of all the good times you would miss. Take a little time and look at the beauty of nature. There are those that no longer can.

We laid Jim to rest today. If only one person is affected by this pointless loss, and a single life is saved, Jim's death would have meaning and all of us could have some closure.

I know you think that this only happens to "the other guy". So did we. Just like you."


Careful out there everyone. Next time you even wonder about making a foolish move, think about this letter please."

[SWAMP_DONKEY]

Thank you for this post. Things can happen so fast and life is so fragile. Hug your children tell your spouse you love them and call your mom and say hi. We never know, but with Moose getting hurt my wife and I will be wearing our helmets when we ride. God bless this mans family and friends.

[GSPKurt]

 
That's a heck of a letter.
 

[klutchbuster400]

man thats a sad story. but its true you really dont think of the horrible moments that come after the accident.
we all need to be safe out there.

gery350

[Loven It]

     - sad story.

Makes you stop and think how quick everyones lives change that are involved in these horrific situations.

Horrible reminder of what can happen out there!

[Moose]

Thanks for that, very sad but true.

I was lucky I didn't get hurt worse, no helmet on, lucky the dirt was soft. Last thing I remember is saying "OH sh*t", the next thing I know I'm on the ground and can't move much from the pain, even hard to breathe.

You younger ones here, read the first post again. You have many years ahead of you, not like us old farts. We have lived most of our good years, you have not. Be safe and grow old.

[MuddFreak77]

That is so sad!!!  But I know how that person feels, and its a HORRIBLE feeling.

Several years ago I had a group of friends who bought me a plane and concert ticket to go home and visit.  All I had to do was jump on a plane and go home for a weekend. 

I was all packed, on my way to the airport and I started to feel sick so I didn't go. I went home and called my friend to let them know, this was a Friday afternoon, the concert was that night.  I woke up the next morning turned on the TV and saw that club that I was supposed to be at with my friends was burned down to the ground with over 100 missing people!!!

I spent the next 3 days wondering if my friends made it out or if they had perished.  It turned out of the 10 other friends I was supposed to be with only 1 survived.  To this day he is in a mental hospitial due to the sights and sounds of that night.  I lost 10 friends in 1 night, and I will always wonder what if I was there.  Could I have made a differance or would I have perished with my friends? 

Everyone please if you love someone tell them, as life is sometimes to short!!!  My friends were all in their early to mid 20's.  After many months of depression I now know it was not my time to go, as I still have business here. 

Carl

[Moose]

I remember that like it was yesterday, what a tragedy. What a small world it is. It makes you think, that's for sure. My grandmother, 93, is walking on a leg they were going to take off when she was 12. Makes you think.

[MuddFreak77]

Moose your right, it does really make you think.  No doubt about that.  For a year I was in a deep depression and just wanted to die, a few times I almost suceeded.  Thank GOD i didn't!!!!!  I have to thank the few friends I had down here at that time for their support and helping me through that dark period of time in my life. 

Seriously if I was 5 minutes late for work one of my friends would be on the phone calling me asking where the  Fbleep are you and if I was OK.

[Moose]

That's what friends are for. All the money in the world won't buy you one single friend.

[MuddFreak77]

That's what friends are for. All the money in the world won't buy you one single friend.

I'll lift a drink to that

[WPBSMOKA]

I remember a kid in school who backed off a hill climb, tried turning around on the hill.  The bike rolled, handlebars landed on the side of his unprotected head.  This poor kid went through so much surgery just so people could bare to look at him.  Scars all along the face, eyes totally bloodshot.  Another sad example.  A buddy was doubling on a sport bike with his girlfriend.  Don't know the details about it, but the bike flipped,and she is dead.  He has not been right (mentally) since.

[Keeter]

About 3 years ago 04/12/03 My older brother was riding a four wheeler down a dirt road less than a mile from my moms house in Lake City. He has rode the bike before, it belonged to the Survey company he worked for.  He was riding on a dirt road and came to end where it intersected with a paved road. He turned around and was heading back for the day, around 6:oo pm. Right as he started back down the road A F150 came around a blind curve and hit my brother. My brother did get up for a few seconds mad as hell from what the people near by said. But his injuiries finally caught up with him and the people that came to help got him to lay down. The paramedics came within a few minutes, yes just a few minutes. They got him on a helicopter and flew him to the nearest hospital. He died at the hospital from his injuires.  He did not have any identification on him so the police did not have anyone to call. My Mom got worried around 10 and started calling hospitals and the Police. The Police did not tell my mom on the phone what happened. They told her they wanted to come to her house and fill out a report. When they got there she met them at the door and knew right away what happened. I got the call at my house in Ft. Lauderdale a few hours later. I met my older sister in Daytona and we drove up together. I can only imagine how scared he must have felt to be alone and dying.
I never owned a four wheeler my whole life, 38 years. Believe it or not I bought one 5 months ago. Dont know why, especially after what happened. But I guess I wanted to feel that thrill my brother Keeter felt when he rode down that dirt road in the last moments of his life.
He wasn't going fast did not have a helmet, just a blind curve and a drunk MF'er in a truck. The last time I saw him alive was at my birthday party about two months before it happened, and the last time I talked to him was the weekend before it happened.
My mom called and wrote letters to her Congressman several times. She received lettters back from him. The dirt road is now paved, widened and  straightened.

When I decided to buy a four wheeler I did not know which one to get. I sat and sat at my desk surfing the internet reading articles trying to decide. Over my computer monitor is a picture of my brother having the time of his life riding a jet ski in California. I looked up to his picture as to think and realized he was riding a Polaris jet ski. So, I bought a Polaris. ATV.
Whenever I ride I always have my ID with me and I tell my wife where I am going.

Wear a helmet, drive only on trails, and tell the people you love that you love them, daily. An have ID on you.

God Bless my brother and everyone who loves the thrill of riding an ATV down a dirt trail.  Or a snowy mountain.

[Bo322]

These events happen far too often. We (myself included) don't want to be the butt of someone's joke, pointed at, laughed at or made fun of for wearing a helmet.
I have been in Fire/Rescue for 28 years and could write a book about terrible, senseless events like these and the fall-out concerning the victims and/or loved ones left behind that I have witnessed over the years.
I debated whether or not to post on this subject.

Don't want to come across as a newbie "know-it-all" on your great site but felt compelled to throw in my 2 cents worth. When these victims say it could never happen to them...........IT"S ALWAYS THE SAME STORY

I'm just as guilty, heck, I've ridden everything out there I could afford and just as fast as it would go. I've only been hospitalized once for a shattered collar bone. Been REAL lucky for the type of riding I've done. I still ride a Honda 350x and a 660 Raptor (with a helmet "most" of the time)(too many times without because I'm "just watching")

We could all "what if" oueselves to the point of locking the doors and hiding in a dark corner of the house......that's no way to live........can't be affraid to push it once in a while but you must RESPECT what could happen when you ride pushing the limits. A helmet will save your life. Putting a lid on your coconut is simply showing some respect for what could happen and for the rest of the folks out there that care about you.

Blah, Blah, Blah.......nuff said

Thanks to this thread I'm gonna go tomorrow and buy that real cool camo helmet I saw at Polaris the other day.

[dreth]

lakemarykid posted this about a year ago! it was good then and it is good now