Crash

Traffic accidents are a staple of local newspapers, to the point that they catch our attention only if we are very familiar with the location, or if we were caught in the ensuing traffic jam, or if we know the people involved. The latter situation happened to me this past weekend.
I saw a photo of a demolished Toyota Corolla on the open-grate bridge on Route 322 south of Downingtown but didn't think much about it -- until I found out that a young Unionville friend of mine and her boyfriend were the victims. They are OK, thank God -- and thanks to the seat belts and air bags.
My friend said she blacked out for a few seconds after the impact and when she came to, her boyfriend was already calling 911. When the EMTs arrived they took one look at the extent of damage to the car and called in a chopper. They had to saw apart the car and cut off her clothing to get her out (they kept her covered her with a blanket).
"Flying naked in a helicopter; cross that off my to-do list!" she joked. She said she couldn't see anything except the roof of the chopper en route to Paoli Memorial because of the neck brace she was wearing.
She was hurt worse than her boyfriend was (cracked rib, scratched spleen), though naturally they both are very sore. She spent a few days in the hospital, keeping her friends updated via Facebook -- including saying how upset she was that they didn't make it to the Renaissance Faire, which is where they were headed.
I went to see her the day after she was released. Despite her high spirits, she was moving a little gingerly and her hug was a tad cautious. She said she plans to send a letter not only to the EMT who took special care of her, but also to Toyota for their life-saving safety engineering.