Have you heard those stories not to go out during the Holy Week? Because most accidents happen during this time?
Today, Maundy Thursday we were in a car accident. We were in that Honda car.
We came from Antique to cover a colonial church in Anini-y and did the rest of the Visita Iglesia along Miag-ao and other neighboring towns. At around 5pm, we were crossing a bridge in Tigbauan ( very close to Iloilo city already) with a motorcycle full of passengers in front of us.
As we reach the bridge, I saw a very fast CRV in the other lane coming to our direction with smoke coming out from its muffler. I was supposed to tell my husband that “murag nilupad ang CRV ( as if the CRV is flying)” when something hit us.
I thought it was the CRV hitting us but I found the supposed impact too early. Then I saw a van sticking close to the driver’s side, just beside my hubby who was driving.
It was like the van fell from the sky. While were in a seesaw-like motion I saw how close the white van hit the tricycle. I can vividly remember the “scared out of his wits” look of the tricycle’s passenger at the back of the driver. As all three vehicles ( our car, the white van and the CRV) hit each other, the tricycle speed away. They really escaped the accident! Thank God!
Then the van opened, the passenger in front came out limping. I’m pretty sure he broke his leg. Then just in front of us, Indian passengers seating at the back of the van with their noses bleeding went out of the van through its windows. I thought for a second that they were in a tour bus. Then more and more passengers from the van came out with their noses bleeding or little mountains on their foreheads. The CRV only has two passengers including the driver. They were not badly hurt but let a few days pass and they they definitely cannot walk without feeling any pain.
My eldest was at the back sitting with our helper, Nene while my 11 month-old child was on my lap. We were totally fine inside the car but with the van sticking to our car with shattered glass all over, I was expecting the worse. I was anticipating the worse scene on topped that more bystanders were already flocking the scene.
Apparently, the white van in high speed tried to “overtake” us on a bridge! Lame! And the CRV coming to our direction was also fast. The driver tried to brake but it was too late. The CRV and the van are meant to collide with each other. I say we are collateral damage.
I instructed my helper to distract my 4-year old since the baby seemed completely clueless. While my hubby went out to deal with the accident, my helper talked to my son to look at the river ( we were in a bridge). Still, more people.
My son finally said, “Mama, I’m scared” and have to let him stay in the front seat to hug him. His hands were cold but I try to talk to him casually what happened and that we were fine. It took 10 minutes for the police to respond and 30 minutes for the ambulance to rescue. tsk tsk..
For the first time I saw how steel can be crumpled like paper. The CRV was a total wreck. I just felt angry that many bystanders took photos. I saw a another van pulled up and its passengers armed with their DSLRs got off and took photos. It is so Princess-Dianna-car-accident-in Paris like! They were no traces of anxiety, they are so thrilled so take photos and videos! Today is Holy Week people!
During the accident, we already visited 5 churches. We were a little bit shaken, how we escaped the accident but we continued to finish the last two churches. We visited Molo Church and finally Jaro Cathedral. We completed our Visita Iglesia. We have more reasons to complete this deed.
We feel blessed and guided. I felt that my son’s guardian angels were there acting like buffers to my little ones. Most of all, I feel that we were instruments. If the van was not “stucked” in our car then the van could have reached that tricycle. For sure there would have been fatal injuries. Passengers would have fallen to out of the vehicle unto the side of the bridge.
Never mind the scratches and wrecks on our car. Not to mention the blood drops on the hood. Let my chismosa neighbors deal with it. We are just happy to be safe at home. Thank you God!
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