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Ongoing Trial


Meli

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My parents had me at a young age, so my grandma was a second mom to me. She was a cook, a lover of angels, a poet, and a kind soul - she always helped others. She was only 61 years old.  

On Thanksgiving of 2017, my grandma was in a series of car accidents. She was driving on the freeway with her boyfriend, on her way to get pie pans so she could bake a last-minute cherry pie for our family dinner. A car hit hers, and when they stopped, the man who hit them fled the scene. Her and her boyfriend got out of their car, but they were in the middle of the freeway; he went on one side and she went to the other, by the divider. To this day I don't know why they went to opposite sides. Two witnesses pulled over and stood with her, talking. It was foggy that morning, and the police and ambulance hadn't arrived yet, so the next car that came driving down the freeway didn't see my grandma's car, still in the middle of the lanes. He hit her car, and on impact it flew into her and the two witnesses. One of the witnesses died instantly. The other is still alive, but suffering injuries even today. And my grandma was on the ground, alive, but in pain. 

I got a call that morning from my dad. My boyfriend drove me to the hospital, and the entire family sat in the ICU waiting room. People brought us Thanksgiving dinners, but none of us could eat. We even watched the accident get covered on the news. It was very surreal.

She was in a coma for two months. When she woke up, the doctors told us not to be hopeful. She made improvements, but couldn't talk or move much at all, and especially not on request. She'd suffered a stroke while in a coma. I basically lived in any hospital or care facility she was in, for the next 5-6 months. In May, on my dad's birthday, we were visiting her and she had her first seizure. I sat with her while an ambulance was called, trying to stop her but knowing how. After that, the doctors said she would never improve. She would continue to have seizures, strokes, and her brain and organ function would decrease. We made the decision to take her home on hospice. My dad, aunt, and I lived in one room with her for the next month. She passed in June; the last word I heard her say was my name. 

The second man involved in the accident stayed after hitting my grandma's car. The first one, who fled, was found. He is currently on trial for two accounts of vehicular manslaughter and one felony hit and run. With COVID, our trials have been pushed back again and again. I know that's normal for the court system, but it's hard. My family and I don't want him to suffer - we want him to reflect. Reflect on how instead of running, he could have stayed and helped, and he should have known that running and leaving two cars in the middle of the highway with low visibility could have led to a worse accident. Instead, during our first court appearance, he laughed at my crying aunt in the hallway. What he did wasn't malicious in intention originally - it was an accident - why would he laugh?  

It's hard, because every time I feel I'm improving, it's time for another court date. And it's all brought back up again when you have to listen to it, over and over again - and in detail. The next one was supposed to be today, but it was postponed to an unknown date. I just want it to be over, and I feel like I can't fully grieve when the case is still open.   

 

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Dear Meli,

I am so sorry to hear what happened to your family. I truly hope this court case is settled soon.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.

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