Our 1999 Astro

EVERYONE involved in this accident survived. Thanks in part to seatbelts, airbags, luck & divine intervention.

I initially posted this page to explain why I was on hiatus from my daily duties with our car club and why I wasn't able to make it to Carlisle (PA). Now my objective is to reinforce why you should wear your seat belts, and to appriciate what you have in life.

Our family today (or recently). Myself, Trey, Dan, Laura & Kyle

While we still and always will suffer from our injuries, we're all alive and thankful. Every time we want to complain about hurting or being disfigured - you immediately think "it could have been worse". I still get to hug Dan good-night. Laura can now walk. Kyle can still see. We're all very fortunant.

Original start of page
I haven't been around much since June 10th and some folks have noticed people are concerned for my family. Here's why.
Before we go any further let me just say my whole family was in the van and we all survived.

Left - Newspaper report. Front page news. Right - Aftermath. (click to view full size)
Page two of newspaper report.
Partial Narrative
Police dispatch

Places instrumental in saving Dans life
Emory Flight
Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta

Photo Gallery
Accident Scene/Investigation photos

• Side view in grass
• my instrument panel & airbag
• Side of van showing impact damage
• accident scene
• view of roadway
• astro with fire truck
• rear view of astro
• Front end of Astro
• skid marks toward impact
• Astro & Box truck in woods
• Drivers side of Astro
• Passenger side of Astro
• Rear seat
• Dashboard & driver area
• Dashboard & passenger seat
• wreckage from Astro after extraction
• Burnt truck
• Burnt truck with van in background
• Cooling off box truck
• nose of box truck
• Fire fighter in action
• Side view of burnt truck
• Impact markings in grass area
• Initial POI (Point of Impact)
• The guy who was in front of me
• Impact area marked
• Initial impact in grass
• view of scene after being marked
• side-swiped pickup & trailer
• view down the road back towards Astro

• Side view
• Front Seat
• Dash, roof, Leg room (passenger)
• Passenger side airbag saved lauras life.
• Frontal View
• Angels were with us not just these either
• Where I was notice steering column.
• My airbag it deployed and worked.
• Side window shattered where trey was sitting
• Front passenger side
• Hood folded up
• Front driver side
• Close up of front frame folded against itself
• My door buckled in center
• Dash & Steering wheel
• Where I was sitting
• Airbag & seatbelt primary reason why I'm still alive.
• Back where dan was
• Grill close up
• Condenser & Radiator as flat as a sheet of paper.
• Front suspension (passenger side) - pulverized
• Right fender folded away where truck drove over hood/fender
• Why lauras leg broke
• spare tire tossed where dan was orange paint used to mark location it was found on street.
• Kyle was sitting right behind laura he lost his forehead, but miraculously not his eyes
• Lauras dad side door was torn off van to remove laura. Then tossed inside van.
• The roof folded as astro absorbed impact
• SNAP (leg breaker) door was cut off van with "jaws of life". Also notice, the engine cover pushed into seat.
• Middle seat where Kyle & Trey were seatbelted in.
• The van twisted orange paint documents location of van (indicates authorities anticipated this was a fatal accident)
• Rear view drivers side tail light shattered
• side view (notice kyles t-shirt)
• Front drivers view
• detailed front view notice rear wheel, body & frame twist
• My door bent
• Astro the truck frame came in handy
• Driver side tire/fender
• Whats left of the hood
• whats left of the bumper area
• what I removed from the astro besides my family

Other useless commentary:
I can't help but notice the amount of vehicles made by "F" which explode when they hit things.
As far as insurance... I figured I'd not be the one out slamming into people, so I didn't bet against myself. I had normal liability and low "uninsured motorist". Unfortuantly. Read "uninsured" to also mean UNDERinsured motorists. Since my policy matched the hitters insurance, mine didn't kick into effect.

Last updated: 6/1/2006
created: 7/19/2003
Author: MadMike Maciolek
Email: iracez28@alltel.net

Return to my site