A four-year-old boy was fatally struck by a car just outside my house last week. He ran out onto the street against a red light while his mother and him were collecting his older sister from school on Friday afternoon. Anne heard the screeching tyres and somebody scream. An off-duty fire fighter managed to resuscitate the boy, but he died early Saturday morning at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital.
The child's name was Bram. At his funeral, his mother—who immigrated here from Germany—spoke about Bram's bubbly personality and about his love of trains. Because she has three other children, she bravely continued her life as per usual. She even took her surviving children to the school's fête (=annual carnival fundraiser) two days after the funeral.
Bram was one of those kids who was always fearlessly running ahead of his family, and his mother struggled to keep him near her. Just like Gaston was, at that age. Just like Rémi can be when he has his over-the-top tantrums.
I've been thinking about all the near misses Gaston and Rémi have had over the years. Of all the times one of the boys ran out onto a street when there just happened to be no cars speeding by. I try to push such things to the back of my mind, but an incident like this brings it right back to the front, and I've found myself imagining what could have happened in this or that situation.
How tragic. My son runs away from me during meltdowns, and he's almost been hit a couple of times too. It's truely scary.
ReplyDeleteWow. Awful. Just awful. My heart goes out to that mom and his siblings.
ReplyDeleteThis is tragic. I could only imagine, however have been in a situation where my daughter was hit and run over. She survived, however there hasn't been a day since that day I don't think about if things were different.
ReplyDeleteWe just have to hope/pray that people/drivers are aware of their surroundings and is able to make the quick decisions nessisary. I was fortunate, however I am more cautious and think of that exsact senario and tweek what I do different when I am out with children to be safer.
My thoughts are with this family on your block.
Louise
This is the second incident I have heard about this week of a child being hit and killed. These stories always break my heart, and I still can't get over the one that happened in Geelong. I was in tears. It is a parents worst nightmare, especially when you have a 'runner'. Thoughts and deepest sympathies are with both these families. :(
ReplyDeleteMy husband was driving through the city on Thursday late afternoon. He had called and told me he was stuck in traffic as a young boy had been hit. Then on facebook - I heard of the little one in Geelong who was hit by a train. But I did not know it was in Geelong - I thought it was the same child my husband had come across.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing Friday morning I googled the accidents thinking it could have been your boys. I am not sure why I thought that - I knew the boys were around the same age - and near your side of town.
Glad yours and mine are safe.
It is so stressful knowing it could happen - public places - a bit too much sometimes.
Rachael - hope you are all well. (:
These are the things that never make sense in life. The grief is unimaginable. My heart goes out to the family. Now is a rotten post to add it to, but I sent you an award. Pop over when you can and pick it up.
ReplyDeleteOh, that poor little boy and that poor, poor family. AJ and Ted have both been known to try to bolt. Every parent's worst nightmare.
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine. As Kelly said, that is every parent's worst nightmare. My thoughts are definitely with that family.
ReplyDeleteMakes me so sad. For her, his siblings, for all of us who know, that could have been us (too) at any given moment, on any given day. My thoughts are with that family.
ReplyDeleteYou hope and pray that it never happens to your child. I have twins boys aged 8 both highly autistic and need to be watched 24/7.
ReplyDeleteI live with my parents as I m a singel mum their dad hasnt been in there life for over 6 years his own choice , but hey a dad like that they dont need.
My parents have been away for 10 days in turkey and every thing has been fine I v locked all the doors hid the key , but today all the late nights caring for the boys cought up with me and I forgot I left the keys in my bag .
I was in the kitchen busy washing 1 of the boys hands and face after dinner ,his twin brother went to the toilet by himself which is fine becasue if his not down in 3 mins i go up , but only this time he had seen my bag and got to the keys opened the door and run away.
We live near a tube station , but when he runs away he alwas goes to the park , so as soon as i saw the door open I had to leave his brother lock the door and run to the park which is 3mins away , only when i got to the park i found out he wasnt there , as I crossed the bridgue to get to the other side of the train track I see him running and a tube worker running after him on the tracks telling him to stop.
Thankfully he got to him and my son was fine he really had a angel watching over him today , i can not put into words the horror i felt today and the gulit if some thing had happend, i m still a bit shaken up but i ll be fine ,but i am very thankfull he is safe but the never ending worry will always be there and the fiar of what if. My son and I was very very lucky today and I will thank god for that every day.