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| Braden Woodson and his truck. |
Braden was traveling west on highway 24 and as he
approached the intersection of highway 24/59, he realized too late that the
semi driving south on highway 59 wasn’t going to stop at the stop sign. The two
vehicles collided, and the collision spun my son’s truck around, so it was now
facing east in the cornfield.
He was able to get out of his truck and went for help. Had
Braden been driving the Toyota Corolla he had before the truck, the outcome
would have been more devastating. The impact would have decapitated him.
Fortunately, he was able to get out of his truck and went for help at the
church in Williamstown. The semi driver fled the scene.
I share our story for several reasons but mostly because Braden
was wearing his seat belt and I believe the seat belt saved him from being
thrown from the vehicle.
Braden was a state qualifying wrestler and had intentions
of wrestling in college. These few
seconds and the truck driver’s inattentive driving stripped Braden of the one
thing that brought him joy. He loved to
wrestle, yet his back muscles are messed up for life. After a year and a half of physical therapy,
including dry needling (needles inserted into the back muscles and hooked up to
electricity), he is still unable to enjoy wrestling. He was never able to be a
returning state wrestling qualifier.
This was the night that changed his (and my) life forever.
Debbie Lee is the mother of Braden Woodson
Thank you for sharing this story. Looking at the picture of the truck, he was a lucky young man. I hope they found the semi driver.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story Debbie. Seat belts do save lives.
ReplyDeleteThat is tragic, especially for your son's wrestling career. Thank God that he is still alive. Did they ever catch the trucker and find out why he fled?
ReplyDeleteWow. It is hard to believe anyone could have walked away from that vehicle. Timing and coincidence can change a family's life in a blink of an eye. Clearly, you have reared a responsible young man who will go on to do great things with his life. A life that was saved by "one click". Thank you for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this story. It's amazing how one night can change one's life forever and it's very sad that his wrestling career came to end so abruptly. I truly hope they found/caught the semi driver and am thankful your son was wearing his seatbelt so he could walk to get help.
ReplyDeleteAmazing story, Debbie, and you told it well. So grateful Braden was able to STAND beside his demolished truck. His wearing a seat belt gets credit for that. Perhaps Braden can find other ways to stay close to the sport he loves as a coach or referee or official.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad Braden lived to walk away from that crash, despite not being able to continue wrestling, he was very lucky. I am sorry he will live with the physical pain forever. As a mother with teen/young drivers, your story struck me very personally. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteWow! It’s such a good thing that he was wearing a seat belt. You never know what others drivers are going to do.
ReplyDelete