Forsyth's daughters in accident

[Michelle W]

Some of you will remember Forsyth. She rode with SS a lot last year, but broke her foot earlier this year and has been off the bike. Thought I would share this news.

Her daughters were involved in a serious accident Saturday evening (9/22), one transported to Wake Med via helicopter. As of last evening it appears both will pull through, but the youngest is likely to remain in ICU a week, or so, requiring a lengthy hospital stay and a long recovery. The oldest daughter was expected to move from ICU to a regular hospital room today. They were rear-ended by a drunk driver on I-95 South on their way to visit friends in Fayetteville.

[Erica]

sorry to hear this. hoping for speedy recoveries for all. :( infuriated with the loser who hit them. :(

[Zonda]

I sent her an email. Too bad this happened when she was getting back on track after breaking her foot.

[KarenG]

Wow. Shocking. I hope her children have a complete recovery and as quickly as possible. We'll be thinking about you!

[Michelle W]

This is an update received over night

Her youngest daughter is breathing on her own now. Her liver and spleen were not damaged enough to require any additional surgery. Her broken vertabra is likely to be treated only with a brace, although they'll look again after they clear all the gunk out of her body to make sure she doesn't need surgery.

She's responding to my voice. I told her to squeeze my hand if she loved me at about 5:30 this afternoon and she squeezed it and wouldn't let go until I told her I had to go so that the nurse could clean her up. Tomorrow, they're going to take the tube that's clearing stuff out of her mouth out to see how she does without it. The doctor says she's doing so well, given her condition.

The oldest daughter is completely lucid, although she's groggy. She is, of course, blaming herself although I haven't told her anything about her sister except that she is on the same floor she is (but not in the same unit). Sometime in the next 12 hours, she'll be moved to a regular room in the hospital. Because of her head injury, they'll want to watch her, but it's possible that I could have her home by the end of the week.

Everyone, your prayers are working. It's a miracle that any of those children lived through what happened. Another passenger in the car got out of it with just a cut on his ankle and the other one has a badly broken arm but she needed no surgery to fix it.

The drunk was driving a Ford 350 pickup truck over 100 miles an hour when he plowed into the girls like they were standing still. He knocked the car 400 feet into the guard rail, it spun, hit the guard rail again, and sent the car right back onto 95. They're so lucky to be alive. I feel very blessed tonight. I'll write more when I can.