Thread: Please Read: The hardest thing you've ever had to do is.....

I've shared this with my family and friends and felt the need to share it with this community too. Please read guys.

Tonight was one of the worst nights of my life. On the way back from Halifax we were waived down by a young teenage girl. When we got out of the car she was hysterical, screaming for help. We asked her what was wrong and she yelled "please help my brother". Her brother had been hit by a car on a back road near Greenwood, NS. Myself and Tom Ray approached the 17 year old boy and checked his vital signs. We both agreed that he was gone. One of the hardest things I've ever had to tell someone was about to come out: "I'm sorry, your brother is gone". This 15 year old girl who had no idea who I was started crying louder, screaming, and hugged me. I couldn't do anything but hug her back and tell her how sorry I was that I couldn't do anything to help. A short while later we saw the family, waiting in their vehicle. They couldn't get to the scene because the RCMP had the accident blocked off a few kilometers back on either side of the incident. Their whole family was there and her step-father asked me "How is my son, tell me he's ok". I know that immediately after my response "I'm sorry sir, your son is gone" that I had broken his heart. The gentleman burst into tears and nearly collapsed.

I've learned a few things from tonight. One thing is that at any moment, things you love can be stripped away in an instant. Another is that I don't ever want to lose my incredible wife, Annamaria Pezzo-Brooks, my handsome baby boy, Rosario, or anyone else in my family.

Please people, when driving on roads that aren't properly illuminated, take your time and be cautious of your surroundings. Use your high beams whenever you can.

After all is said and done, this was really a reality check for me and from this day forward I am going to stop taking things for granted and really focus on my family and what's important to me. I'm going to make the most of life and cherish every moment as it may be the last memory I have.

Sad to hear. Sorry you had to be the one there.I would not want not want to be the one delivering bad news to a family.

You broke nobodys heart Brooksie.is a awakeup call for you and yours.Life is precious, life is tenuous (SP) when your name comes up in gods ledger,is nothing that can be done,cherish life while you can.

I think the hardest part was not being able to help. I'm in the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) and have up to date First Aid and CPR training. The fact that I couldn't do anything really made me upset.

I'm very sorry to hear about that family's loss and of course everything that you had to go through. Kudos for what you did though, especially for that girl. If there is one time in her life when she absolutely needed someone to be there, this was it. And you were there, keeping her from being alone on this terrible night.

Thank you for sharing this and for the reminder of the fragility of life. Hold your family extra close tonight my friend.

sad story , sorry you had to go through it ..
with children of my own i have so many thoughts , yet so little to type ..

Don't beat yourself up too badly, you did what you could and sometimes there just is nothing you can do except to comfort and console. That is totally hard to accept but you have to. You took the right lesson away from this tragedy, cherish what you have for as long as you have it.

Bob

That you knew your first aid and were willing to help are the main thing, next time you will really make a difference.
That you stopped and tried probably already have for all involved, no reason to know your CPR if you don't care to use it.
So kudos to you!

God Bless you and your family. Stopping to help a stranger in the middle of the night is impressive. Being willing and able to assist an accident victim is selfless. Being there to support someone on the worst day of their life is compassionate. My take away from this story, is the Brooksie is a good man. Hug your love ones a little tighter, tell them you love them and know that you did all that you could do in a horrible situation.

Crappy deal for that girl and the rest of the family. I hope they are coping OK.