Friday, December 26, 2008

Horrible Accident in Woodmere

A speeding car crashed into a store in Woodmere, Long Island yesterday, where 150 people were participating in a Chabad-sponsored "Chanukah Wonderland" party. The car drove right through the plate glass window and through the crowd, which included many children and their parents. One man was pinned under the SUV. In all, fourteen people were injured, and four are seriously injured and in need of our tehillim:
Yitzchak Zev Ben Masha Eshah
Yitchak ben Hadassa Devorah Basya Faiga
Shmuel ben Tova
Yehudis bat Tova
(the last two are children- a brother and sister who are both suffering from severe head trauma).
May Hashem grant them a refuah shleimah.

7 comments:

Leora said...

Horrible.

Jewish Side of Babysitter said...

I heard about that, was so sad, the second tragedy to a Chabad house, I wonder if there's any connection.

Maybe now buildings should have gates around it to protect it from such accidents.

Also, wanted to let you know I gave you an award!

SuperRaizy said...

Babysitter-
Thank you!

Jewish Side of Babysitter said...

SuperRaizy: Your welcome!

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

I heard about this on Friday night and was horrified. A fellow EMT from Woodmere was visiting our yishuv and gave me all the details.

Refuah Shelaim to the wounded and may we hear good news.

smoo said...

At first I thought it may be a terrorist attack because someone told me the driver was young and still managed to keep accelerating through the building until reaching the opposite wall. I understood it wasn't when I heard 'elderly'. My storefront has twice been visited by elderly drivers who think they are pressing on the brake, wondering why it's not stopping, and are pressing harder and harder on what turns out to be the accelerator. Once I actually ran outside, reached in to shut off the lady's engine while she was still pedal to the medal and in shock.

I have seen and heard from relatives how my dad's reaction time has decreased, he has blown stop signs and I believe he should not be driving. But he won't hear it. "We are trying to make him an invalid," he says. Meanwhile, it's a matter of time before he hurts/kills himself, my mom, others in the car, or innocent bystanders. My sister refuses to be in the same car while he drives. It's time to read him the riot act. The elderly are so stubborn and don't recognize their limitations. Everyone else must be overreacting, he thinks. I bet I will be the same way. I don't admit that my body can't handle the challenges as well as it did 20 years ago. Maybe I'll look back over this post and stop myself when the time is at hand. Ah, who am I kidding, I won't be able to see then.

I can't image the pain those families are going through right now. All I can say is, "God help them." What has made this tragedy more real to me has not been what I see in my own aging father but the fact that my kids where right there with their mom, one window over. They described in detail seeing the bleeding faces, the man stuck under the vehicle, the screaming, the fear. My daughter says she isn't afraid of scary shows anymore because it isn't real but this was. "Isn't Chanukah supposed to be happy? Why couldn't it happen when it wasn't a holiday?" I could only tell her that accidents happen, that I love her and that God was watching over her. I didn't let her hear me cry as she described the scene while I imaged their crumpled bodies. I don't know what nightmares they will have but I thank God they are safe.

Refuah Shelaimah to all and God Speed (but don't let the elderly).

This was from my blog.

SuperRaizy said...

smoo-
I'm so sorry that your children had to witness that. Just keep hugging them until they feel safe again.