What was the Scariest , Frightening Moment in Life

[millbank]

Can you remember the most frightened you have ever been. Your scariest personal moment where your life appeared in jeopardy. What was the situation and what was your reaction, and does it still effect you today to some extent?

 

In Toronto Monday evening, Scarboro more accurately a area community had a summer gathering block party where roughly about 300 people attended, apparently many coming from far outside region lured by the promise of free rum (yikes ). What transpired was a gunfire broke out between party goers said to be waring gangs, the result being some thirty people shot and injured, with party goers reaction in fear, running for cover as best as they possibly could. Can only imagine being in such a situation, the terror of seeing people go down around me, having to make quick decision on how to not get killed.

Recall as young man, at dance, with young lady, lights out, slow dance, full dance floor, setting peaceful, me out of the corner see a man approach couple right beside us, pull a gun and shoot the man beside us. First reaction was , to look at fallen man, perpetrator running away, overwhelmed with a sense of unrealness, we quickly moved outside the immediate scene , not looking back, without a word found the car and got out of area. Can remember doing this without a word, simply being in shock at being so close to such a incident. Over lifetime have experienced many scary moments, but this only time of being near gunfire.

I not entirely proud of self , my reaction of first impulse of getting out of area, but in ways it was right to see to it Young Lady with me be safe. It interesting what our reaction be when in a time of fear or strife around us.

The example of 9/11 where some ran away from sight , seeking escape, while others ran towards the site asking where can they help in selfless manner a great example of choices people make.

 

so..... can you remember the moment in your life , incident where your life was in peril, your most frightening moment, what it was, your reaction to it, and how it has effected you?

 

For me end result in very simple terms, I much more weary as I go about day to day, not overwhelmed in fear but ever aware of my surroundings , often not in ease in crowded settings of many people.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

Probably the night where I had to stay overnight in Port au Prince right after the earthquake. We had little security forces in our area, and there were gunshots and fire and smoke around the perimeter. We had no idea what was going to happen, and after moving the dying Haitians to the HLZ the day before, it was even more stressful. There is nothing like the threat of chaos in a third world country to shake you to your very core... I cannot imagine how it would be by adding bullets whizzing by and IEDs.

[UConn James]

Pit bull and a boxer attacked me and my pup on a scenic back-road.

 

Really thought they were going to kill him and possibly me. Ended up with hand bites and my dog had some pieces of torn flesh in ~5 minutes before the owner heard the shouting, came outside and pinned them down.

 

And come to find that these were socialized, obedience-trained dogs. Alaska Darin et al. come here and say that they have to be taught to fight or not taught anything. And I used to agree with that.

 

Suffice to say that my view of pit bulls/fighting breeds changed utterly that day. Until you experience the business end of a pit bull or other breed whose instinct, once it's on, is to bite and not let go your opinion is ing WORTHLESS.

[millbank]

Probably the night where I had to stay overnight in Port au Prince right after the earthquake. We had little security forces in our area, and there were gunshots and fire and smoke around the perimeter. We had no idea what was going to happen, and after moving the dying Haitians to the HLZ the day before, it was even more stressful. There is nothing like the threat of chaos in a third world country to shake you to your very core... I cannot imagine how it would be by adding bullets whizzing by and IEDs.

regarding third world countries. Have done mission work in India, Guatemala. In Guatemala, been robbed at gunpoint a number of times, it a fact of life. In various regions, Guerrilla's rule with tight fist, they often coming to mission compound in show of power to residents and peoples they in control Over the years a number of our people have been shot , killed , the sounds of gunfire, daily, nightly occurrence.

Edited July 18, 2012 by millbank

[ajzepp]

Mine involved a buddy, two hookers, Nick Tahoes (downtown Rochester in 1991), a black caddy, a pimp, and my '79 Mazda RX-7.

[muffmonster]

I worked as a Bank Teller while in college. I was a floating teller so I would travel to various branches around the area to fill in as needed. One particular day I had to work in a small branch in the absolute worst neighborhood.

 

I remember hearing yelling and the next thing I know I'm on my back with a gun pointed at my face. I was sitting at the station facing the front door, but wasn't looking in that direction. The robber came running in and lept over the counter kicking me out of my chair. In all honesty I don't remember much of it and most of what I remember is what was told to me afterwards by somebody else. It was quick all in all he cleared out three of the teller drawers and was gone. That branch was closed shortly after as that was like the 4th robbing in 2 or 3 years. They never did catch the guy.

[birdog1960]

This was a scene right out of Dudley Do Right: in college, i went hiking in the Adirondacks with friends. We got to a 30 foot waterfall with a shallow pool at the top that i decided to sit in to cool off. next thing i know, i'm falling over the waterfall. smacked my temple on a rock but remained conscious and caught a thick, fallen overhanging branch hanging parallel to the falls. pulled myself on to it and shinnied to the bank. i probably fell 1/2 way down the falls before catching the branch. i then pretty much collapsed, exhausted. a friend carried me the mile or so back to the car, then stitches and overnite in the infirmary. i took finals a few days later with 2 black eyes and a roaring headache. Still have a nice scar above my left eye.

[The Poojer]

there was this one time at band camp....yada yada yada....

[ExiledInIllinois]

A month ago I was in a wreck... My Jeep was hit from the side... Right at the rear corner... If it was t-boned with me being a split second slower when the guy was running the light, I would have been dead. Instead, did about 5k damage... Just got the vehicle back this week... And I walked away with a deep bruise on my thigh. Anway, the vehicle spun around like a top and almost flipped... Man did I think I was a goner!

 

Another time... Hiking in the Rockies during a lightning storm... Just cresting over a bald ridge... The crack of lightning came within yards as my party and I "hit the deck."

[ExiledInIllinois]

regarding third world countries. Have done mission work in India, Guatemala. In Guatemala, been robbed at gunpoint a number of times, it a fact of life. In various regions, Guerrilla's rule with tight fist, they often coming to mission compound in show of power to residents and peoples they in control Over the years a number of our people have been shot , killed , the sounds of gunfire, daily, nightly occurrence.

Wow... I remember you telling me this years ago... Was there a story about a killing where some had to "play dead" under the murdered? It had to be terrifying...

 

Back in college... Had some friends at Cansius... Left a party with one friend to grab some smokes... Walking into the convienence store (forget where it was, but near Sister's Hospital... Off Main around Jewett)... We get with 5 yards of the door and some dude is in there waving a big knife around while holding up some people... He starts screaming to us to get in and "swap a lady" with us... We took three slow steps back, and in some strange unison move, bolted the opposite direction... LOL... Before cell phones... Got back to the party and called the cops...

[plenzmd1]

Going for a swim at the start of Lost Paddle Rapid in the Upper Gauley(not intentionally). i am a very strong swimmer, and i had no idea which way was up to air. thought for sure my ass was going under an undercut rock, and they would fish me out once they stopped the water flow from the dam. after what seemed like an hour, prolly 20 seconds, i popped up, climbed back in the raft..and no one outside the guide even knew i had dumped. finished that day, never been back to the Gauley

[ExiledInIllinois]

Going for a swim at the start of Lost Paddle Rapid in the Upper Gauley(not intentionally). i am a very strong swimmer, and i had no idea which way was up to air. thought for sure my ass was going under an undercut rock, and they would fish me out once they stopped the water flow from the dam. after what seemed like an hour, prolly 20 seconds, i popped up, climbed back in the raft..and no one outside the guide even knew i had dumped. finished that day, never been back to the Gauley

Who's saying they would have stopped the water flow through the dam? ;-) ;-)

 

That's all Corps of Engineers through to the Kanawha and then Ohio... You Ever see Cincinnati? Just kidding, you would have hung up well before the locks... :-P

 

Again, just kidding... Had to be scary as hell. One time I went rafting with my brother and all his drunkard friends, Cheat River... That was scary as hell being the only sober one in the boat... Surprised I lived... Usually the drunks seem to come out of it without a bump!

[LeviF]

I was in a pretty bad car accident in May 2009. I was driving to work down a mountain road in my little Mazda 3 and some jackass in a Navigator comes around a bend, going far too fast. He skids over the median and hits me head-on. I was going ~60mph, the cop I talked to a few weeks later said the other guy was going 80+. Those of you that have had the misfortune of being on head-on collisions know that you get about a quarter-second to react before you get hit. For me, it was basically enough time to think, "Oh, !@#$" and for my legs to lock up.

 

Anyway, he hits me and my car goes spinning off, eventually coming to rest in the middle of the road. My windows are all shattered, and I can't see through the windshield due to the spiderwebbing. My head is throbbing, and I can tell I'm bleeding from it. My arms have glass in them, and I can see in what's left of the rear-view mirror that I've bit almost completely through my bottom lip. The dash is about a foot closer than it had been a minute ago, and the airbags were deployed (airbag dust smells awful, just by the way). I move my right leg, and then try to move my left one, only to find that it's unresponsive. I look down and see the top half of my femur moving against my skin when I try to move my leg. Suddenly, it dawns on me that I'm in ridiculous pain.

 

So I'm sitting there grinding my teeth to keep myself from screaming, and I think, "huh, isn't there a huge !@#$ing artery next to your femur?" Then I decide to notice that my leg is swelling up. Great. So I sat there for a minute thinking that I was going to die, before realizing that if I were to bleed to death I probably would have done it by then. But sitting there for a minute thinking I was going to die wasn't particularly fun.

[ExiledInIllinois]

I was in a pretty bad car accident in May 2009. I was driving to work down a mountain road in my little Mazda 3 and some jackass in a Navigator comes around a bend, going far too fast. He skids over the median and hits me head-on. I was going ~60mph, the cop I talked to a few weeks later said the other guy was going 80+. Those of you that have had the misfortune of being on head-on collisions know that you get about a quarter-second to react before you get hit. For me, it was basically enough time to think, "Oh, !@#$" and for my legs to lock up.

 

Anyway, he hits me and my car goes spinning off, eventually coming to rest in the middle of the road. My windows are all shattered, and I can't see through the windshield due to the spiderwebbing. My head is throbbing, and I can tell I'm bleeding from it. My arms have glass in them, and I can see in what's left of the rear-view mirror that I've bit almost completely through my bottom lip. The dash is about a foot closer than it had been a minute ago, and the airbags were deployed (airbag dust smells awful, just by the way). I move my right leg, and then try to move my left one, only to find that it's unresponsive. I look down and see the top half of my femur moving against my skin when I try to move my leg. Suddenly, it dawns on me that I'm in ridiculous pain.

 

So I'm sitting there grinding my teeth to keep myself from screaming, and I think, "huh, isn't there a huge !@#$ing artery next to your femur?" Then I decide to notice that my leg is swelling up. Great. So I sat there for a minute thinking that I was going to die, before realizing that if I were to bleed to death I probably would have done it by then. But sitting there for a minute thinking I was going to die wasn't particularly fun.

 

WOW... Were you wearing your belt too? You must have. My bag didn't deploy... Thank God yours did or you would have been dead. I was clubbered by a Town Car. Damn Lincolns!!!!

Edited July 18, 2012 by ExiledInIllinois

[Chef Jim]

I once asked for advice.

[The Poojer]

that was very discomforting to read...i was actually squirming through it...i could not imagine...i hope you have come out of it ok...well, i have seen some of your posts so i guess its more accurate to hope you continue your recovery ....

 

I was in a pretty bad car accident in May 2009. I was driving to work down a mountain road in my little Mazda 3 and some jackass in a Navigator comes around a bend, going far too fast. He skids over the median and hits me head-on. I was going ~60mph, the cop I talked to a few weeks later said the other guy was going 80+. Those of you that have had the misfortune of being on head-on collisions know that you get about a quarter-second to react before you get hit. For me, it was basically enough time to think, "Oh, !@#$" and for my legs to lock up.

 

Anyway, he hits me and my car goes spinning off, eventually coming to rest in the middle of the road. My windows are all shattered, and I can't see through the windshield due to the spiderwebbing. My head is throbbing, and I can tell I'm bleeding from it. My arms have glass in them, and I can see in what's left of the rear-view mirror that I've bit almost completely through my bottom lip. The dash is about a foot closer than it had been a minute ago, and the airbags were deployed (airbag dust smells awful, just by the way). I move my right leg, and then try to move my left one, only to find that it's unresponsive. I look down and see the top half of my femur moving against my skin when I try to move my leg. Suddenly, it dawns on me that I'm in ridiculous pain.

 

So I'm sitting there grinding my teeth to keep myself from screaming, and I think, "huh, isn't there a huge !@#$ing artery next to your femur?" Then I decide to notice that my leg is swelling up. Great. So I sat there for a minute thinking that I was going to die, before realizing that if I were to bleed to death I probably would have done it by then. But sitting there for a minute thinking I was going to die wasn't particularly fun.

[truth on hold]

Probably 9/11. I was 500 yards away and heard the 1st plane fly over the roof and smash into the n tower. I was outside on the street somewhat closer when the 2 main towers fell . The scariest individual part was being part of the volunteer group to go down and search the smoldering wreckage for survivors in the afternoon. One hand I felt obligated but on the other I'd be lying of I said I wasn't scared sh#tless over what I'd find or what danger I'd be in. We'll never know because the truck carrying volunteers turned around when tower 7 imploded as they were driving to the site, and all excursions were called off after that. The whole experience seeing 1st hand the power of weapons and machines man can create but not control is probably the most disturbingly scary thought I came away with.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Joe_the_6_pack

[ExiledInIllinois]

I once asked for advice.

You are like the board's own Fonzi!

 

You probably get scared saying the words:

 

"I'm wr wr wr wr....ong!"

 

:-P

 

that was very discomforting to read...i was actually squirming through it...i could not imagine...i hope you have come out of it ok...well, i have seen some of your posts so i guess its more accurate to hope you continue your recovery ....

 

You are scaring me with your posts BEFORE the quote! ;-)

[LeviF]

WOW... Were you wearing your belt too? You must have. My bag didn't deploy... Thank God yours did or you would have been dead. I was clubbered by a Town Car. Damn Lincolns!!!!

Yep, between the belt, the airbags, and the car crushing perfectly (accordion-style), it was probably the best possible situation if I were to be hit like that. That cop I mentioned came to my house after I got out of the hospital to go over the crash with me. First thing he said when he walked through the door, "I can't believe you're sitting there talking to me right now." I just shrugged and popped a couple more hydros. My dad finally described what the car looked like after the accident, though, and I didn't really realize how lucky I was until then.

 

that was very discomforting to read...i was actually squirming through it...i could not imagine...i hope you have come out of it ok...well, i have seen some of your posts so i guess its more accurate to hope you continue your recovery ....

My leg aches when the weather changes, but that's about it. I have a permanent titanium rod and 4 screws in my femur now. Won't be breaking that again.

 

And I'll refrain from picking on your posts because it's not nice to pick on the slow kid

 

Probably 9/11. I was 500 yards away and heard the 1st plane fly over the roof and smash into the n tower. I was outside on the street somewhat closer when the 2 main towers fell . The scariest individual part was being part of the volunteer group to go down and search the smoldering wreckage for survivors in the afternoon. One hand I felt obligated but on the other I'd be lying of I said I wasn't scared sh#tless over what I'd find or what danger I'd be in. We'll never know because the truck carrying volunteers turned around when tower 7 imploded as they were driving to the site, and all excursions were called off after that. The whole experience seeing 1st hand the power of weapons and machines man can create but not control is probably the most disturbingly scary thought I came away with.

I can't imagine actually being there. Watching it on TV was bad enough.

[BillsFanNC]

Like Levi, mine was a car accident. I was driving home from work to go pick up my then two year old son from daycare. My normal route home was detoured so I'm driving about 45 mph on a two lane road when an F-150 coming the other way goes off the road on his right, over corrects, causing him to careen into the front left side of my car. The last thing my left ever ever saw was the maroon color of the F-150 a split second before impact. Glass penetrated my eye, and the plastic column between the door and windshield got crushed into my face, bascially lifting the skin on the left side of my face from nose to eyebrow off, leaving it hanging by a flap. When I came to a stop I was able to scramble out of the passenger side door a hobble away from the car. This is when I realized the pain in my leg and that it was likely broken, and it was. Still the blood pouring out of my face seemed to be the most urgent matter at the time, so I took off my shirt and stuffed it over my face to stop the bleeding. By the time someone stopped to help I had convinced myself that I was going to make it, but for a few minutes I sure felt like it was my time. Your life does indeed flash before your eyes in these situations, that I can attest. I asked the first guy who stopped if he could find my cellphone so that I could call my sons daycare. What I learned afterwards is that when I talked to the daycare I just told them I'd be a little late picking up my son, and when I called my wife I told her that I was in a "little" accident and that I'd be home a little later. I don't really remember saying that in those calls, but apparently I was in shock and didn't want to admit to myself or anyone else how badly I was hurt. Three years and 13 surgeries later I was able to put it behind me, but one thing that will absolutely never leave me is the sound of breaking glass and crunching metal at impact. That definitely still haunts me to this day.