Northern Oklahoma College Student

Have you ever wondered where the cars around you were going? All the complete strangers flying past you rushing to get somewhere? I have always wondered this ever since the day we were racing my brother down the highway to Dayton Children’s Hospital while he was being care flighted. That day changed my life and altered my view forever.

In November of 2015, my brother had some friends over for his birthday party. The day went great the boys had fun, nerf gun fights and pizza and they had passed out around midnight. The next morning all but one of his friends went home. His friend Brennan stayed because he had nothing to do Sunday morning. So, the boys begged my mom to take out the ATVs. After a million no’s, she finally caved in. The boys took them out and began riding around the property. Brennan had a helmet on because he was on the four-wheeler, but my brother did not because he was riding our gator. They rode for an hour or so until my brother could no longer hear his friend. My brother, Max, turned around to look for his friend when he accidently took the wheel with him causing the Gator to run up a small brush pile and it flipped. His friend came and got us from the house. That is when I found my little brother under the gator unresponsive. My mother and I quickly tended to him and called 911. When they had arrived, Max had gained back consciousness. He was swiftly taken on care flight to Dayton Children’s Hospital.

On the way to the hospital, everything was a blur to me. The car ride was dead silent other than my mom’s bawling. I remember just feeling numb and staring out the window with not a thought going through my head except for “he’s gonna to make it, he has to make it”. After a while though I noticed the cars flying by me and just wondering where they were headed. Were they headed to the hospital too? Or maybe a family function where they would get to spend time with their loved ones? That is when it hit me. I never know what a person is going through. All of these cars and strangers have places to be. It could be a happy excursion, or it could be a crisis like mine. I never know.

To me this realization was more of a wake-up call. Although my brother survived with little to no lasting effects and was able to make a recovery, some people do not. So while in the past I had heard my parents yell at other drivers to slow down or stop driving like a crazy person, I finally understood. All of these strangers’ live lives just like I do; they endure heartbreak or happiness just like I do. I know how I would want to be treated back when my brother almost died — with kindness. No one knew what was going on in our lives, but I expected people to understand and be kind. I have then tried my best to remember the same to treat others as you would want to be treated, with kindness.

Ever since that day, I have begun to watch the cars and the people in it a little closer. I am curious to know the stories of all these people and where their destination is. To me it is a reminder that I never know what a person is going through, and I don’t know what they are driving to. That is why I should always treat people with kindness no matter what.