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Brachen Roberts

Mr. Gardner

Grippy Gorillas

August 29, 2022

The Crash That Saved My Life

“As I see the whites of her eyes my heart sinks” I say as I ponder back to the moment

that would turn my life around forever. I've never truly known the reality of life until this incident

in which I've been ungrateful for all the good that's come my way and the motivation I lack. “You

got this” my dad used to say and i never knew how to respond; Maybe with a “thanks dad will

do” or “yea sure.” However, I found myself telling my father “look what I did” and “Hey Dad! I

haven't missed a day of class and have all A’s.” It truly baffled me how just a few months prior i

was skipping although having all F’s and not having a care about my future, and that's how my

life changed the moment i hit that 2002 silver and shiny Toyota corolla.

Truth be told I’ve always felt the need to go fast and my red car as it whines down the

dark unmanned road didn’t make it any better. I always loved the rush I would get seeing the

white long lines turn to little dots on the freeway as I fly by going 130 and the sudden excitement

when a car suddenly tagged along for the ride. There would be no better joy than in that

moment where nothing else mattered besides you, the road, and the music as it takes you into a

different world. I’ve always understood the dangers of driving fast and whilst I did on occasion

drive faster than the posted 35 MPH speed limit set for the common on the phone Utah driver

I’ve always known to be safe and responsible. I’ve always felt alert and alive whilst driving as I

speed to 35mph as the light flips to green. I say to myself “Is this what it means to be alive? To

feel free?” I was never one to harm or endanger any fellow drivers beside me. I never had a
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ticket nor even given a warning despite my eye-earring car that caught your attention as far as

the eye can see as the sun glistened off its surface.

I used to be a clear cut student who always had B+ grades and made my parents proud

until I found myself not caring for whatever reason I thought was just. I started ruining my future

for 2 hours of extra sleep or a 5 minute drive down the road to get a Sausage Egg McMuffin and

a Hashbrown to sooth my need for laziness. I never wanted to confront what i didn't like as

anything that hindered me i felt the need to brush past and never bother with it again; This came

to bite me in the ass quickly as i soon became acquaintances with Ms. Isley thereon came into

her class where she tried her best but I just never cared. My performance at work was a

hindrance as well as my motivation to do basic tasks such as homework and much more.

Although I was at my lowest thus far I was still happy every time I drove as it gave me a sense

of freedom that I so badly needed. I hung out with my friends one Saturday night as a close

friend of mine asked “what happened in the moments leading up to your crash?” and everything

came rushing back as if a tornado just formed in the bowl. I remember me and my girlfriend just

leaving Savers as we just went thrift shopping to go get some new pants. As an acquaintance

beside me in his car starts cutting through traffic I start to smile with happiness as I make small

revs as a sign of play. I say to morgan “look that guys are going to cause a wreck,” as he

speeds to 40mph whilst cutting cars off left and right. Somehow we both make it to the light

together as I fasten my seatbelt and plug in my phone to aux. I set the volume to max as I play

Xavier Wulf and all the strain just fades away into pure happiness. Then as sudden as the

happiness came it passed as the light turned green and we both floor our cars stopping at the

posted 40 mph speed limit both smiling as our cars just roared with happiness. Then as we

were coasting a woman pulled out going as slow as to think she wanted to be hit. I slam on my

brakes however she gets stunned as I am in the far lane I'm blocked in. One.. Two.. Three.. The

seconds counting in my head as I start to see the expression on her face fade away. I'm

shocked in fear as something that was happening in split seconds felt as if it was an eternity.
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Then boom… I smash into the 2002 Toyota Corolla as I see the whites of her eyes fling her

across the road into oncoming traffic; Luckily there were no cars coming as my heart sinks with

sudden confusion of what happened in that 3 second time period. I sit there paralized in fear as

I can't comprehend what just happened, as the son in the car comes out screaming “WHY

WOULD YOU!? HOW COULD YOU?! WHY WOULD YOU!?” over and over as if it was a track

on a radio.

Then the sirens came as a cop just cars away witnessed the crash, all my scared

thoughts relieved as the sudden scare was then getting fixed. I tell my friend this story as he

says “Jesus man, glad you're safe” It reallys shows me how I’ve changed and how I pushed

myself to understand that life can truly be taken from you at any moment in time. I often sat and

talked to myself saying “I know you can do better, do better, be better.” SInce then I’ve done my

best to be the best and happiest version of myself to ensure my successes in every aspect of

my life. Thus far this has brought me intense happiness and it all started with me seeing the

whites of an old lady's eyes.