Immediately after the crash all the spectators went to help the guy in the truck. It was upside-down so he looked worse off (in reality, he was the LEAST hurt). My mom pulled me out of our car (she was unharmed) and I looked down to see one of my big toes almost completely cut off, and I couldn't move either foot. My mom got a blanket and put it over my feet while we waited for help.
One old man came over, dressed in black and held an umbrella for us. He was the only one who helped us. While waiting with us (for almost an hour) he told us that his son had died in a car crash, but that he and his wife had "decided to keep living". That man talked to us and held that umbrella over me all the way up til they put me in the ambulance.
I was in a wheelchair for over a month and on crutches for about 6 months after that. I was depressed. I was angry. But every time things got really bad, I would think about what that old man said to me.
Four years later, I still have resentment issues. I still have the desire to find that kid who caused the crash and write him. Tell him that I hope he thinks about what he did to me and how he affected my life every. single. day. I hope he can't sleep at night because he knows he has caused me a lifetime of pain. I'll never be the person I was before the car crash. I can no longer do the athletic activities I loved so much. Hell, I can't even stand for 10 minutes without needing to sit down. I have days I get so angry because I can't do simple things, like walking around the mall, because my ankle is too bad.
But most of my days are good. I know I'm still getting better every day. I can wear high heels again! If only for a limited time. And that umbrella man has helped me get to where I am today. My mom believes he was an angel, but I don't buy into that kind of stuff. I think he was a wonderful old man who helped me in far more ways than just holding an umbrella for me while it rained. He decided to "keep living" after an incident way more tragic than my own. People decide to live their lives happily after horrible, unspeakable things happen. So I've decided to keep living as well.
And that's the story of my tattoo
So I got it done right next to (one of) my scar of glory! The ankle that still gives me daily pain. The umbrella man is still helping me.