It was a valuable lesson: Don’t believe everything you read and hear!

But it was a harsh way to learn it.

Last week on Thursday the life of my family was thrown into a tailspin when a car hit a thirteen-year-old girl…a girl we happen to know…a close friend to Brody, my same-aged son.

Although it was mid evening, my son was sleeping when my daughter received news of the accident via a phone call from a friend who had seen something on Facebook—exhausted from an accumulation of long days that had started with early mornings of sports practices at school, he had laid down after supper.

Shedding tears, my daughter had dragged herself upstairs two-and-a-half hours after he had fallen asleep and said Megan had been hit by a car at 4:45PM, and it looked pretty bad. In fact, some kids had already posted RIP on Facebook!

We were devastated. Megan had been at our house only the week before.

But before waking up Brody to tell him of the tragedy, we needed confirmation. So, choking back tears, my hubby made phone calls to several people we thought might have more details…and yes, the accident was confirmed…but nobody knew whether Megan had survived or how bad her injuries were although it was believed she might have a broken neck, broken ribs, severe head trauma and internal bleeding.

It was a struggle as we debated whether or not to wake up Brody to tell him what we knew…or let him sleep until morning. He had to know before school (and decide if he was up to attending classes)…but what a horrible way to wake up!

The look on his face when we told him and the intense tears he shed and the grief he shared, haunted my daughter the next day at school—recalling how upset her younger brother had been, combined with hugs from friends and questions of, “Are you OK?” and having an understanding of the implications of a severe head injury, her grief came pouring out. With the counselor’s encouragement she called me to pick her up and take her home. Brody, on the other hand, had by now assumed a calm demeanor and attitude of, “We don’t know what’s happening at the hospital so I can’t worry for now.” –A typical male response the counselor had said.

(After the accident, via well-meaning people on Facebook and in person, we heard that Megan hadn’t survived. Then she was supposedly on her way to a Vancouver hospital. Then no, she was in fact at the Children’s hospital in Spokane. Then we heard she was on life-support. Then we heard she wasn’t on life support nor had she ever been! What was the reality, we wondered?)

Now my family knows that when an event occurs for which we have no confirmed details, it’s best not to jump to conclusions—it’s best not to believe everything you read and hear.

Now we know Megan IS in the Spokane Children’s hospital.

Megan DOES have severe head trauma.

She IS in critical but stable condition.

And she HAS shown slight body movements when receiving care…

Here’s something currently on Megan’s Facebook page (I think it’s beautiful):

“I wrote your name on a piece of paper, but I accidentally threw it away. I wrote your name on my hand, it washed away. I wrote your name in my heart & forever it will stay.”

May you have a full recovery Megan. Please know there are a lot of people who love you and are sending warm, caring, positive thoughts your way!

Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My Friend
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