I entered this story into a writing contest. I wanted to tell part of my story and show the power of unwavering faith in a power greater than me. If you can grasp just one thing from this story then I have been effective. I hope that that happens for you.

Like and share this post (and that applies for any post on this site). And, as usual, please leave your comments below. Yeah, demanding… LOL but I do this to offer my experiences as a springboard for all that read and hear these words… so do IT 🙂

(I have changed the title from the original entry.)

WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS… 

PART 1

It had been a great day. My cousin and I had attended a job fair during the afternoon. Some of the employers I spoke with seemed to be promising. I was even given the direct cell number of a radio station executive that wanted to use me as a sales person! I thought it a great fit because I liked to talk and my family had been around the entertainment industry for as long as I can remember.

I quickly dialed the executive’s number on the way to the vehicle. There was no response so I left a message on the voicemail, crossed the street, and entered my vehicle.

Before starting it up and heading home, my cousin and I reviewed some of the day’s events and conversations. We then headed home with some relief and excitement.

I do not remember exactly why we were making a quick stop at the house. What I do remember is parking the vehicle in the garage, walking down the driveway to check the mailbox, and walking back up the driveway looking over the contents from the mailbox.

At some point on my ascent up the driveway (the driveway is on a hill with the house and attached garage at its apex), I get a feeling that I need to look up.

As I look up, I have just enough time to relax my body and attempt to catch the vehicle that is barreling down the driveway at me. Events are not too clear from the collision.

What I do remember is my right leg traveling up to my head just before blacking out.

The next thing I remember is waking up with a woman sitting over me telling me,  “Don’t move. The ambulance is on the way.”
I have no clue why that should matter to me because I feel fine although I do feel unaware of my surroundings. It is a good thing that woman was there because I tried to get up and she would not let me. Had I moved any further than I did then I probably would have paralyzed myself… instantly!

At the time I didn’t know that the truck had run completely over my body twice leaving me with a compound fracture of both bones of my right leg, a fractured hip, multiple fractured ribs, and a severed spine. Those injuries do not include the contusions, collapsed lung, and “road rash” I incurred (to my left arm and leg).

Things moved so fast from here as I passed in and out of consciousness.

Before being put into the back of the ambulance I do remember my father standing vigilant over me as the paramedics prepped me for the ensuing ride to the ER. He later told me that he was standing over me, fist cocked, and ready to “knock out” anyone that caused me any pain. As my mentor Jim Rohn says, ‘You gotta protect like a father’. And protect me he did. For the next few months, I felt little pain from my injuries. I think part of the reason is that my father was willing to bear all of my pain and asked God to place it on him instead of me.

I underwent over five hours of surgery that Thursday night while surgeons mended my leg, hip, and tended to my collapsed lung.

It was not until the following night that a decision was reached for a different set of surgeons to mend my severed spine. They were worried that surgery might lead to my paralysis. Due to the horrific nature of my injuries, it was a miracle that I was not yet paralyzed.

But, leave it to a specialist to have the nerve to say, “I can do it!”

This is one reason that I have believe in learning a thing to exactness — to become as good as you can at something so that no one can tell you otherwise…

D Arlando Fortune

Keep it as simple as A, B, C’s; 1, 2, 3’s; and, do, re, mi’s

PS. Keep a look out for Part 2 of  “What Had Happened Was”

PSS. Like this story? Learn how to use storytelling to market your product or service here.