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smacintush · Nov 22, 2004, 08:49 PM

Saturday at 1:30pm, my brother rear-ended a box truck with his 1990 Ford Festiva. The box truck was stopped with its turn signal on, preparing to make a left turn when it was struck.

My brother had worked 12 hours overnight on very little sleep, and went to a friends house where they shared and finished an entire full bottle of Jameson's. His blood alcohol level was .21

Luckily the driver of the box truck was not injured, my brother was not so lucky. He cracked or broke every bone in his cranium, cracked the eye orbits and shattered his face. All of his teeth are broken or cracked, his jaw is broken several times, and his palette is broken. Everything from his neck down is nearly untouched except for his left hand. It is lacerated and he nearly lost his thumb.

Somehow, with all of his injuries, he is still alive, though critical and on life-support, and his brain is showing good activity. He moves everything, and his pupils respond normally. His face, though broken all to hell, has NO cuts at all. He has black eyes and some swelling, that's it.

He was flown to a University Medical Center today where he will stay for quite some time. They tell us that he will likely need extensive reconstruction surgery to repair the bones in his face and we still won't know they real extent of his brain injury for some time.

He has sole custody of a very cute, bright 7 year old girl.

Children please, don't drink and drive.

Zimphire · Nov 22, 2004, 08:51 PM

He is lucky to still be alive.

He will be in my prayers.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Nov 22, 2004, 08:52 PM

I hope he pulls through.

CreepingDeth · Nov 22, 2004, 08:52 PM

He should really upgrade to an Excursion if he's going to be doing that.

Hope he has a good recovery.

How long do they think he's going to be busted up like that? Months?

Mithras · Nov 22, 2004, 08:54 PM

I'm so sorry smacintush. I hope he pulls through okay.
Let us know if we can do anything for you.

SimpleLife · Nov 22, 2004, 08:54 PM

I wish he'll recover completely.

Darn. What a very lucky guy! Let's hope Lady Luck goes on with him!

I hope your niece will be fine too!

xi_hyperon · Nov 22, 2004, 09:40 PM

I wish your brother a full recovery, smacintush. Judging from the images, he is indeed fortunate to be alive (I've looked at those images and tried to figure out where he would have fit). I'm also glad for his daughter's sake that he survived.

Mithras · Nov 22, 2004, 09:46 PM

Originally posted by xi_hyperon:
I wish your brother a full recovery, smacintush. Judging from the images, he is indeed fortunate to be alive (I've looked at those images and tried to figure out where he would have fit). I'm also glad for his daughter's sake that he survived.

Probably a lot of that damage is from the rescue crews cutting away the posts to get at his brother. So more of the cage was probably still present and doing its job to prevent even worse injury.

xi_hyperon · Nov 22, 2004, 09:51 PM

Originally posted by Mithras:
Probably a lot of that damage is from the rescue crews cutting away the posts to get at his brother. So more of the cage was probably still present and doing its job to prevent even worse injury.

Ah, good point.

Captain Obvious · Nov 22, 2004, 10:10 PM

Let me get this straight....

Some of you freaks flip out mocking the guys who were killed while they were deer hunting up in Wisco because they were out to kill things themselves and somehow in your diseased minds you find the irony laughable.

But this guy, who was not only driving with insufficient rest but was completely inebriated putting the lives of who knows how many people at risk.... him you wish well?

himself · Nov 22, 2004, 10:37 PM

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
Let me get this straight....

Some of you freaks flip out mocking the guys who were killed while they were deer hunting up in Wisco because they were out to kill things themselves and somehow in your diseased minds you find the irony laughable.

But this guy, who was not only driving with insufficient rest but was completely inebriated putting the lives of who knows how many people at risk.... him you wish well?

I haven't read the thread on the hunting incident, so I can't say if the people who posted in this thread are among those who posted "mocking" comments in that thread -- if so, maybe your beef justified.

In this situation, the person in question survived. I didn't see (read) anyone excusing his behavior (though no one outright condemned it, either, except his sibling in the original post, in an indirect way), but otherwise "wishing him well" and hoping he pulls through is the compassionate thing to do, at least for the sake of his daughter, if not for his sake as well (would you expect us to hope he dies?). Besides, I'm sure the law will deal with his decision to drive drunk once he recovers.

I, for one, do wish him well.

TheBadgerHunter · Nov 22, 2004, 10:38 PM

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
Let me get this straight....

Some of you freaks flip out mocking the guys who were killed while they were deer hunting up in Wisco because they were out to kill things themselves and somehow in your diseased minds you find the irony laughable.

But this guy, who was not only driving with insufficient rest but was completely inebriated putting the lives of who knows how many people at risk.... him you wish well?

Well wishing has no common plateau. Plus this guy is alive.

wolfen · Nov 22, 2004, 10:44 PM

I wish him well, and hope he learned something along the way.

Xeo · Nov 22, 2004, 10:46 PM

I'm glad he survived and hope he has a full recovery. But I will say that I'm glad the only person hurt in the accident was the one drinking. At least the consequences stay with the person making the mistake this time. It's unfortunately he got behind the wheel at all.

lavar78 · Nov 22, 2004, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by himself:
I didn't see (read) anyone excusing his behavior (though no one outright condemned it, either, except his sibling in the original post, in an indirect way)

That's because it's obvious (or at least should be).

I also will your brother well.

OldManMac · Nov 22, 2004, 10:53 PM

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
Let me get this straight....

Some of you freaks flip out mocking the guys who were killed while they were deer hunting up in Wisco because they were out to kill things themselves and somehow in your diseased minds you find the irony laughable.

But this guy, who was not only driving with insufficient rest but was completely inebriated putting the lives of who knows how many people at risk.... him you wish well?

As usual, you are here to remind us that we're all inferior to you, and that you've never made a mistake that you've regretted. Must be awesome to be so great.

Hope your brother recovers fully and quickly, smacintush.

sideus · Nov 22, 2004, 11:12 PM

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
Let me get this straight....

Some of you freaks flip out mocking the guys who were killed while they were deer hunting up in Wisco because they were out to kill things themselves and somehow in your diseased minds you find the irony laughable.

But this guy, who was not only driving with insufficient rest but was completely inebriated putting the lives of who knows how many people at risk.... him you wish well?

sideus · Nov 22, 2004, 11:15 PM

The Ford Festiva. What a car. More like a rollerskate with a steering wheel.

smacintush · Nov 22, 2004, 11:26 PM

Originally posted by Mithras:
Probably a lot of that damage is from the rescue crews cutting away the posts to get at his brother. So more of the cage was probably still present and doing its job to prevent even worse injury.

Yes, from what we've been able to gather the roof of the car on the driver's side was crushed flat level with the dash, undoubtedly from the high bumper of the truck. If you can picture the roof lifted up and flipped over forward, the driver's side is pointed out below.

They cut the roof completely off of the car to get him out. The door was destroyed too, it had to be removed, you can sorta see it setting in the car in the first set of pictures.

My brother has been through a lot of **** in his life. The type of things that create criminals and the mentally unstable. His way of coping was to self-medicate. Alcohol and pot is his thing. He's a good person that never hurt anyone, he volunteers, he taught an adult friend how to read and helps take care of him and he works very hard to take care of his little girl whose mother not only doesn't want her, is mentally unstable and abusive if she did.

It's a shame to see him let this happen to himself, and I hope that IF he survives this (we're still not out of the woods on that one), and IF he is relatively normal he learns his lesson. He deserves it. This would not be a third, fourth or fifth chance. It would be a second chance at changing his life for the better for good. We all deserve a second chance don't we?

brapper · Nov 22, 2004, 11:31 PM

hope he pulls through, if for no other reason, for his daughter.
That's a horrible thing to happen.

d4nth3m4n · Nov 22, 2004, 11:34 PM

man o man, working at a bar, things like this hit extra close to home.

all the best smacintush.

i myself was wondering how much of what was going in that picture was due to the jaws of life, but now i know.

and capt'n O, you're a jackass.

parallax · Nov 23, 2004, 12:33 AM

Best wishes for your brother. I hope he has a speedy recovery.

But this guy, who was not only driving with insufficient rest but was completely inebriated putting the lives of who knows how many people at risk.... him you wish well?

It does no harm to wish everyone well. I don't think any of us would condone his behavior. But hell, give the guy a break.

I know how you feel, though. Two of my friends were killed in a drunk driving accident a few years ago. I have a tough time giving drunk drivers any credit, but that doesn't mean I don't wish them well.

tooki · Nov 23, 2004, 01:27 AM

For your family's sake, I hope he recovers, and I am sure that he will learn his lesson (nobody will have to say "I told you so!"). That said, I, too, have little respect for drunk drivers. Drunk driving doesn't happen accidentally, and I say this as someone who both drives and drinks. Heck, I've even been in the situation where I thought I was OK to drive (keeping count of drinks vs time), drove a block, and then pulled over and waited an hour because I didn't feel quite right. It's not fair to other people on the road to drive inebriated.

tooki

D'Espice · Nov 23, 2004, 03:16 AM

I have to say that I am somehow more sorry for his little daughter and his family than him. I do wish him full recovery though, hope he'll pull through. In other news, I completely agree with tooki on the DUI issue. The only difference is that if I know I have to drive, I won't even as much as touch liquor and vice versa. I've seen too many fatal accidents caused by drunk drivers not to know it can never end well.

TeknoTurd · Nov 23, 2004, 04:41 AM

Everytime I see these post crash pictures it amazes me that people come out of these things alive, albiet with some serious injuries. As much as I can't stand drunk drivers, I hope your brother pulls through, especially for that daughter of his. Best wishes.

d.fine · Nov 23, 2004, 05:45 AM

Best wishes. Hope everything turns out ok.

mitchell_pgh · Nov 23, 2004, 06:16 AM

How horrible... I hope he pulls through. He will be in my thoughts.

BoomStick · Nov 23, 2004, 07:49 AM

Dood, I really hope your brother recovers.

Everybody makes mistakes.

He isn't the one paying for this, his daughter is.

Again, I really hope your brother recovers quickly so he can get back to his family.

ManOfSteal · Nov 23, 2004, 07:55 AM

Damn, good luck with everything!

Talk about a tough lesson to learn.

Cody Dawg · Nov 23, 2004, 08:27 AM

Drinking and driving = Terrorism...for the rest of the drivers on the road.

Good luck to your brother.

dialo · Nov 23, 2004, 10:33 AM

Our prayers are with your brother.

This is exactly why trucks like that should always have lower bumpers.

SSharon · Nov 23, 2004, 11:03 AM

I wish him a speedy recovery as well.

Its sad that so many people need to learn this lesson through personal experience. I have a friend that was killed in a car accident just a few days ago so I know what its like to hear about this. I also witnessed an accident caused by drunk driving on my college campus. In that case however, I showed up in court to testify but the police did not so he got off free, I sure as hell hope he learned his lesson anyway.

Feathers · Nov 23, 2004, 03:08 PM

You can forgive the person without forgiving the crime!

Hope he recovers well!

Stay Frosty!

PacHead · Nov 23, 2004, 03:12 PM

If nothing else, this proves the idiotic drug laws in the USA.

Had he stuck to the illegal drug only, then this wouldn't have happened.

It is the legal drug, which got him into his predicament.

Since nobody else got hurt, then I will wish him a recovery also.

Spheric Harlot · Nov 23, 2004, 03:59 PM

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
But this guy, who was not only driving with insufficient rest but was completely inebriated putting the lives of who knows how many people at risk.... him you wish well?

The guy was a ****ing moron who brought it upon himself, and worse yet - upon his daughter.

But for his daughter's sake, I wish him well.

CharlesS · Nov 23, 2004, 04:45 PM

Originally posted by Captain Obvious:
Let me get this straight....

Some of you freaks flip out mocking the guys who were killed while they were deer hunting up in Wisco because they were out to kill things themselves and somehow in your diseased minds you find the irony laughable.

But this guy, who was not only driving with insufficient rest but was completely inebriated putting the lives of who knows how many people at risk.... him you wish well?

The guy had his freaking face smashed apart - I think he's already sufficiently paid the price for what he did.

Sorry to hear about that, smacintush. Hope your brother makes it.

GoGoReggieXPowars · Nov 23, 2004, 05:08 PM

Hope your brother comes through OK, smacintush.

Originally posted by PacHead:
If nothing else, this proves the idiotic drug laws in the USA.
Had he stuck to the illegal drug only, then this wouldn't have happened.
It is the legal drug, which got him into his predicament.

What complete and utter bullsh1t.

PacHead · Nov 23, 2004, 05:25 PM

Originally posted by GoGoReggieXPowars:
What complete and utter bullsh1t.

Nope. Weed never killed anybody, alcohol does all the time. The wrecked car is decent proof of what alcohol does.

d4nth3m4n · Nov 23, 2004, 05:29 PM

i know plenty of people who have been in serious accidents because they were stoned.

there is just something about that radio that draws in stoned people like moths to a flame.

PacHead · Nov 23, 2004, 05:36 PM

Originally posted by d4nth3m4n:
i know plenty of people who have been in serious accidents because they were stoned.

there is just something about that radio that draws in stoned people like moths to a flame.

Anybody who drives anything while taking any sort of drugs is obviously a moron. I'm just saying one drug (which is illegal) is safer than the other one (which is legal). That's all.

smacintush · Nov 23, 2004, 09:59 PM

Well, I wish I could give you good news�but right now I have none.

Here is the latest:

The doctor says there is severe brain damage. He has severe bleeding and bruising all over his brain. His left side is not responding, all movement on his left and right side seems to be involuntary. He has bone fragments on his brain that have to come out. He has bone fragments in his left eye that have to come out and the eye is probably useless. He has bone fragments in his sinuses that have to come out. It is within the next day or that the brain generally really starts to swell, so it is only going to get worse.

The doctor said at least 3 different times "IF he wakes up from this�"

It seems that even if he survives this that we may already have lost him.

d4nth3m4n · Nov 23, 2004, 10:21 PM

so sorry to hear that.

brapper · Nov 23, 2004, 10:32 PM

Originally posted by PacHead:
Nope. Weed never killed anybody, alcohol does all the time. The wrecked car is decent proof of what alcohol does.

buddy, don't even begin to just make things up.
Weed has indeed been linked to vehicular homicide, and that's why it's illegal to drive under its influence.

brapper · Nov 23, 2004, 10:35 PM

Originally posted by smacintush:
It seems that even if he survives this that we may already have lost him.

I'm truly sorry to hear that.

xi_hyperon · Nov 23, 2004, 10:44 PM

smacintush, I am terribly sorry to hear that. My thoughts are with you and your family, especially your niece.

Xeo · Nov 23, 2004, 10:48 PM

I'm sorry to hear that as well. I hope for the best.

PacHead · Nov 23, 2004, 10:50 PM

Originally posted by brapper:
buddy, don't even begin to just make things up.
Weed has indeed been linked to vehicular homicide, and that's why it's illegal to drive under its influence.

First to smacintosh - Yeah, sorry to hear that.

And to you brapper. I don't think we should derail this thread, but I disagree with you, so I'll start a new thread where you can prove me wrong.

Zimphire · Nov 24, 2004, 12:10 AM

Originally posted by Feathers:
You can forgive the person without forgiving the crime!

Originally posted by PacHead:
If nothing else, this proves the idiotic drug laws in the USA.

Had he stuck to the illegal drug only, then this wouldn't have happened.

It is the legal drug, which got him into his predicament.

Since nobody else got hurt, then I will wish him a recovery also.

Ever try to drive on LSD? Or Heroin?

Come on ..

PacHead · Nov 24, 2004, 12:14 AM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
Ever try to drive on LSD? Or Heroin?

Come on ..

Smacintosh referred to alcohol and weed only, so my comment was about weed only.

Rolling Bones · Nov 24, 2004, 12:15 AM

smacintush

Just a few comments...

I'm really concerned about your brother and wish him a full recovery and your family all the best. This so he can tell people how wrong he was.

In my past I have done things which I very much regret. In my younger days (many years ago) we did a thing called crop-dusting. We'd grab some beer and some of us buddies would drive the country roads shooting the sh!t, drinking beer and smoking pot and listening to music.

More dumb stuff...

Also after going to a party or whatever and getting blasted I would drive home wake up the next day not even remember the drive home. But wow I knew I had a real blast.

I was lucky I guess. I never killed anyone or myself. Never pinched by the coppers. But everyday I hear or read about people who kill or were killed by alcohol and cars...and I just cringe.