February 10th 2010 there was a huge blizzard on the East coast. Despite the fact that NYC public school was canceled, my classes were not. I decided to make my own snow day, skip class and head to central park to take photos. Maybe subconsciously I knew to take the day off because of what was to come, who knows. I love taking photos, especially in the snow. I find it to be so relaxing just being on my own just shooting nature. Yes it was freezing, but it was fun. I was in bed by 9pm feeling happy and excited to be getting to bed early. My phone rang and it was my mom. She NEVER called this late, normally she was in bed herself. She said my brother was is an accident, she didn't give me many details, but told me it was ok. She said he was having surgery that night. I didn't even know what really happened but I was crying immediately. I don't remember how the conversation ended. Afterward I felt so sad and confused. Thankfully I lived with a friend and not alone. We ate ice cream out of the container (how cliche) and watched Dane Cook. I emailed all my teachers and told them what was going on, I wanted to grab my things and run home, but it was late and I had to wait until the next day.
The next day I headed home and went straight to the hospital. My dad gave me the update in the car and really put into perspective how bad the situation was. My brother broke both of his legs. He had a compound fracture where the bone breaks and goes through the skin. He broke two bones in one leg and one in the other. I forget which ones they were. He told me that my brother went to his friend's house the night before, he only lived a few minutes away, He took a quad there because of the storm. On his way home a truck swerved into his lane and hit him head on. He of course went flying, as did his helmet and he landed somewhere in the snow (if I think about him lying in the snow with his legs broken it brings tears to my eyes). The woman who's house he landed in front of called my parents.
We got to the hospital and when we walked in his room and I saw the condition he was in I broke down and fell into my mom's arms. The night before he had surgery to put the bones back in their place and they attached them with screws and plates. They then screwed (literally) on external hardware on the outside of his legs to hold everything in place. I think this was the part that was so surprising to me. It wasn't something I had ever seen before and to see it on my almost 19 year old brother was horrifying.
The next few months were the hardest in my life. I went back and fourth from the city to home, mostly spending time at the hospital. I did my homework in the hospital and somehow managed to be on the dean's list that semester. My brother ended up being in the hospital for 30 days and having 6 surgeries. He then went on to a rehab center and then came home. Slowly but surely he got back on his feet and was walking again.
Everyday I am happy that February 10th is a day that I can celebrate what we have instead of what we lost. I'm not sure why my brother made it through that accident, the impact alone should've killed him, but it didn't and I think thats amazing.
I love you Brodie.
The next day I headed home and went straight to the hospital. My dad gave me the update in the car and really put into perspective how bad the situation was. My brother broke both of his legs. He had a compound fracture where the bone breaks and goes through the skin. He broke two bones in one leg and one in the other. I forget which ones they were. He told me that my brother went to his friend's house the night before, he only lived a few minutes away, He took a quad there because of the storm. On his way home a truck swerved into his lane and hit him head on. He of course went flying, as did his helmet and he landed somewhere in the snow (if I think about him lying in the snow with his legs broken it brings tears to my eyes). The woman who's house he landed in front of called my parents.
We got to the hospital and when we walked in his room and I saw the condition he was in I broke down and fell into my mom's arms. The night before he had surgery to put the bones back in their place and they attached them with screws and plates. They then screwed (literally) on external hardware on the outside of his legs to hold everything in place. I think this was the part that was so surprising to me. It wasn't something I had ever seen before and to see it on my almost 19 year old brother was horrifying.
The next few months were the hardest in my life. I went back and fourth from the city to home, mostly spending time at the hospital. I did my homework in the hospital and somehow managed to be on the dean's list that semester. My brother ended up being in the hospital for 30 days and having 6 surgeries. He then went on to a rehab center and then came home. Slowly but surely he got back on his feet and was walking again.
Everyday I am happy that February 10th is a day that I can celebrate what we have instead of what we lost. I'm not sure why my brother made it through that accident, the impact alone should've killed him, but it didn't and I think thats amazing.
I love you Brodie.
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