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One of my 'fencing kids' moms was just killed in a traffic accident

Melensdad

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
I'm down in North Carolina moving Melen into college and got some bad news.

The mother of the captain of my fencing team was killed in a bad car accident on a rural highway on the edge of our town. Near as I can tell she was turning across traffic and a car ran a red light and plowed into her car about 6pm. She was pronounced dead at 7:15pm of blunt force trauma.

She was one of those mom's who was very supportive of her kids, she attended most of our fencing tournaments, was always willing to help the team. I enjoyed chatting with her & her husband many times at events. Her eldest daughter is a junior at the local high school and my best Saber fencer; she is also the incoming team captain, starting her junior year, and 16 years old. I know the middle child too, not sure her age, but I'd guess about 13 or 14, she is a beginning fencer and sometimes practices with the high school team. There is a younger boy in the family too.

Nothing anyone can do, just wanted to put it out there. Looks like I'll be heading back home to attend a very sad funeral for a woman who was taken at too young of an age and who is leaving behind a very close knit family.

They are a family of strong Christian faith, I'm sure they'd appreciate a prayer or two if you can think of them.
 
Damn. So Tragic. Prayers for the family.
 
The sad story may be getting worse.

My fencer, the 16 yo daughter, may have been driving the car in which her mother was killed. I'm trying to confirm that with a source I have inside the hospital emergency room. But that account seems to be what the teachers at school are also hearing. If so that could haunt a wonderful young girl for the rest of her life.
 
Well its about a 99.9% sure that my fencer was driving the car in which her mom died.

Its also pretty much a safe bet that she turned in front of an oncoming car, which then hit her.

At this point the only question is if there is a turn signal at that light and if my fencer was in the wrong or if the other driver was in the wrong. Honestly that light is only about 2 or 3 miles from my house but in a direction that I rarely travel so I don't remember if there is a left turn light at that intersection or not. I'm thinking not.
 
I appreciate any prayers that can be sent for this girl.

I've been in contact with the other fencing coach and one of the high school teachers today. We are trying to coodinate some sort of support for her. I'm the most distant because we are not currently in fencing season. I saw her & her mom last Monday morning, but under normal circumstances would not expect to see her until the end of September. The teachers are in much closer contact with her, its just that I had a contact inside the hospital that I was able to get information that will help the teachers. There are 3 key teachers in her life, they now have some information that may help them help her.
 
Please let her daughter know that is was an ACCIDENT! It's very , very sad but even if it was her "fault" it was an ACCIDENT. She can't beat up on herself the rest of her family needs her now more than ever.
It's been 12 years today since I was in an accident on my way to work. I rear ended an ambulance of all things. It almost killed me (and now I have seizures due to a head injury). I can't really remember what happened but if those things were not build like tanks, if it was just a car I could have killed someone.
My prayers for the mother and her daughter.
 
A bit more information has come out, this came out of the Chicago media.

It appears the 'other' car was traveling northbound on US41. US41 is a 4 lane divided rural highway. It appears my fencer's car was traveling eastbound on Belshaw road which is a 2 lane rural road.

It is reported by 2 media sources that the northbound vehicle hit the eastbound vehicle.

That means that the eastbound vehicle had already crossed 2 southbound lanes and a center median strip before it was struck by the northbound vehicle.

From that description I am HOPING that it was the Northbound vehicle that struck the Eastbound vehicle by running a red light. I'd hate to have the 16yo girl carrying guilt with her for her whole life if it was her fault that her mom died while she was driving the car.
 
TiredRetired said:
Says I need to register to read the article, but I was able to read the first two paragraphs. Very sad.
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Both of these stories say that the northbound driver hit the car driven by my fencer. But there is still no report who ran the red light at that intersection. Tragic as it is, I'm hoping that my fencer was not at fault. If the other driver is at fault then my fencer won't have to carry guilt with her her whole life.


Here you go:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/subur...t-ptb-fatal-crash-st-0823-20150822-story.html
Lake County

Police are investigating the cause of a fatal two-car crash Friday evening at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Belshaw Road in south Lake County.

Sharon James, 47, of Lowell, died as a result of injuries suffered in the crash, according to Mark Back, Lake County Sheriff's Department public information officer.

James was a passenger in a 2008 Honda Civic that was traveling westbound on Belshaw Road when it was apparently struck around 7 p.m. by a 2003 Ford Explorer driven by a Terre Haute man who was traveling northbound on U.S. 41, police said.

The 16-year-old driver of the Civic and James' husband, who also was a passenger in the car, were not injured.

The driver of the Explorer, as well as his passengers - two juveniles and a 31-year-old woman – who were all from Clinton, were treated and released for their injuries from Franciscan St. Anthony Health in Crown Point.

Back said additional information on the crash and whether charges will be filed will be available in a few days.​


The Chicago Sun-Times offered this story: http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/7/71/899271/woman-dies-lowell-crash
Woman dies after Lowell crash | Chicago Sun-Times

A woman died Friday night after a crash in northwest Indiana.

A black 2003 Ford Explorer was headed northbound on U.S. Route 41 at Belshaw Road in Lowell, Ind., when it hit a maroon 2008 Honda Civic, according to the Lake County, Ind., sheriff’s office.

A passenger in the Honda, 47-year-old Sharon James, was taken to Franciscan St. Anthony Health in Crown Point, according to the sheriff’s office.

James, who lived in the 16400 block of Harrison Street in Lowell, was pronounced dead at 7:19 p.m., the Lake County coroner’s office said.

James’ husband was also inside the Honda, which was being driven by a 16-year-old girl, the sheriff’s office said. The husband was not injured in the crash, although it was not immediately clear whether the driver suffered any injuries.

The man driving the Ford and his passengers – a woman and two juveniles – were also taken to St. Anthony and later released, according to the sheriff’s office.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation Saturday afternoon.​
 
While not published in the newspapers, I just found out there is a memorial service at their church today at noon. Not sure if the teachers will be able to make it on such short notice but I will be there.
 
Just left the memorial service.

Unfortunately none of her teachers made it to the service but the school principal was there. I think it was just such short notice that they couldn't get replacements to the school, we only found out about the service about 9am this morning.

Chatted with Jodie's dad, he is a wreck. I've known him, his wife and daughter for about 3 years. I guess he is doing as best as can be expected.

Jodie has a nice bruise on the inside of her left elbow. Maybe from impact with the steering wheel? Maybe from an IV when she was taken to the hospital? I didn't want to ask. But overall she didn't appear to be physically injured, so that is good.

I got there 10 min before the service and it was already standing room only at their church, its a small church, but the crowd filled the church, the front vestibule and the stairs coming up to the vestibule. Jodie cried on my shoulder so much that it soaked the shoulder of my sportcoat and the shirt under the coat. It was hard not to break down too. I think she just needs to cry it all out. Her little sister, whom I started coaching just last season, seemed to be doing much better than Jodie or her dad, but then again she wasn't in the car when it all happened.
 
I did hear some good news tonight at the fencing club, talking with one of Jodie's teachers, who is also the other coach at the school, one of the police officers at the school indicated (unofficially) that it appears it is the other driver who ran a red light and ran into Jodie's family's car. That is good because I think it would be very difficult to come to grips with her mother's death if she was the one who caused the accident.



Leni said:
And the reality of it may not have hit her yet.
Click to expand...

Oh I'm sure the hardest part of dealing with all of this started after her family returned to their home this afternoon.
 
Tractors4u said:
That is terrible. Life is hard enough on kids as it is without losing a parent.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

I only know 2 of the kids, but both are nice, sweet, polite and respectful. They do well in school and seem to friendly with the other kids. Pretty much storybook family, strong Christian faith, stable loving relationship. Now torn apart by a tragic accident.

2 of the kids are now in high school (Freshman & Junior) while the youngest is in middle school (either 7th or 8th grade). Life will never be the same for them.
 
Stopped by their house today to deliver a home cooked meal and got a chance to see Jodie and her dad. They had just come back from taking Jodie to the doctor. She is fine. While she carried the box of hot food inside I chatted with her dad, he seemed to be doing OK.

The parents of the fencing team are making & delivering dinners for their family for the month of September to help them adjust and take a bit of pressure off the family. We are doing it weeknights only, leaving them alone on the weekends.

Hopefully the healing can begin. It will take a long time, but there is a big support group to help.
 
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