October 21, 2023
I woke up at 5:30am. I felt rested and ready for the day. I got up, made tea, used the bathroom, made a smoothie, got dressed, brushed teeth and hair and headed to work. My first job was cleaning a small office building and it went well.
Christopher and Angel met me at my 2nd job which was a big office building. Christopher comes to help me when I clean my businesses every other Saturday. We listened to uplifting music while we cleaned and Angel played. We finished right on time for me to go to my next job which was a residential house.
Christopher and Angel left to clean the Episcopal church and I drove to my next job. That job went great. My clients were there and we had some great talks about dogs, veterinarians and kids while cleaned. Then I headed to my last job for the day. It was a new cleaning job but I have known the people for quite a while from my Master Naturalist group. Since it was my first time cleaning for them it took me quite a while to get it fully cleaned. I talked to my clients some and listened to “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” on audio while I cleaned. When I finally finished, I headed home.
I arrived at home with just enough time to take a quick bath and run out the door to make it to our opening night for the play. (The play is called “Almost Maine” and is made up of 8 different scenes where a couple is having some sort of drama and they work it out or not.) My bath was very quick because it was a cold one. For some reason the hot water had turned off while it was filling up. I got dressed and headed to the play. On the way, I picked up a fellow cast member. On the drive we practiced our lines and arrived an hour before the play was going to start.
I got into costume and put on my makeup which I’m not very good at since I haven’t owned makeup for years. I bought makeup the other day just for the play and somehow I actually remembered how to put it on. I was nervous about the play since I didn’t have my lines down completely but I kept telling myself it was going to go perfectly. I was in 2 scenes and I knew the first one well but the 2nd scene was really repetitive and more challenging to remember.
I was in the opening scene and it went perfectly. The audience laughed at the right times and I was feeling confident. I worked on my lines for my next scene while the other actors were doing their scenes. During my 2nd scene we messed up some but we rolled with it and made it through. When the play was over I was so glad. I was feeling tired after a long day of work and then the play. I was grateful to be heading home.
While driving the 20 miles home on the highway, I was listening to beautiful music, enjoying the peaceful night, feeling happy and content about our opening night being successful. A semi truck passed by me going the other way, when it passed by I heard a strange noise. I looked in the rear view mirror and I saw the truck flip on its side and flip over again off to the side of the road into the bushes. I immediately pulled over and turned around calling 911.
There was no one else on the highway at that moment. I turned on my hazards and ran to the semi truck while talking to dispatch on 911. I ran to the cab which was upside down and smashed in. I could see the driver through the window and he was motioning for me to get back. The engine of the truck was so loud I could not hear anything. I got off the phone with 911 and ran to the other side of the cab my legs were getting scrapped up from the bushes but I didn’t care. I needed to get this guy out, I did not understand why he was telling me to get away. Another pickup had stopped and 2 guys were coming over with flashlights. I ran over to them. The could barely speak English and they pointed and said fire. I looked a saw a small fire under the cab. I ran to my pickup to move it farther away in case there was an explosion. The men drove off and I pulled up the road into a driveway. Then I started running back, I could hear sirens coming. I was begging for them to hurry because this guy needed help. Just then the entire cab of the truck burst into flames. I could hear the guy inside screaming for help. I covered my ears and fell to my knees. I couldn’t believe this was happening. The police arrived and ran over to the cab of the truck, it was engulfed in flames and there was nothing they could do. They stood there and the guy inside was still screaming. By that time several police officers had arrived. I was sobbing and in shock. A neighbor came over and asked me what had happened and I told him. Then I got in my truck and drove to the other side of the road and waited. The police had blocked the highway on both sides. The ambulance and fire truck had not arrived yet. A police officer came over to me and I told him what happened. He asked me to stay and give a statement to the state police when they arrived. The truck burned for a half hour before the fire truck arrived. I called Christopher, my sister and some friends to get emotional support while I waited. Finally a state police officer got a statement from me and I drove home the 7 miles home.
At home Christopher held me for a long time while I cried. Then I got into bed. I was exhausted but my mind kept looping through all I had experienced. I prayed for comfort. I prayed for that man’s family. I put on some meditation music and finally fell asleep around 12:30 a.m.
I usually end my blog post being grateful to have experienced a wonderful day. This post will be different. I am grateful to the man I was trying to help, he saved my life while I was attempting to save his, by getting me away from the truck before it burst into flames. I am grateful for each breath because we never know when it will be our last. I am grateful for my family and friends that I love dearly. I am grateful to experience another day.
Thank you for reading my blog and being a part of my life. I dearly appreciate you.
Love,
Victoria