Something happened to me that I never, in my life, expected.
It was an ordinary day—nothing special, nothing unusual. I went to work, pushed through my routine, and even made it to the gym after. By the time I headed home, everything felt normal. My gym is only about a 12-minute drive away, a route I’ve taken countless times.
I stopped at a stop sign, music playing softly in the background—The Fate of Ofelia by Taylor Swift (I’m never listening to this song ever again lol). It was 8:40 PM.
Then, in an instant, everything changed.
A loud boom exploded behind me.
For a split second, my mind couldn’t process it. Then reality hit—a massive pickup truck had slammed into my car. But it didn’t stop. The driver kept pushing forward, forcing my car to move. It felt unreal, like something out of a nightmare you can’t wake up from.
Moments later, I realized another car had been hit too. There were three of us in the crash.
I was screaming, “STOP! STOP! PLEASE STOP!”—but the driver didn’t respond. His music was blaring, and from what I could see, he looked intoxicated. Completely unaware. Completely out of control.
People started gathering. Some were recording. Everything felt chaotic and distant at the same time.
I froze.
I didn’t know what to do—until a stranger came up to my window and said, “Call 911.”
So I did.
It was my first time ever calling emergency services, and I was shaking. But the woman on the line was calm, steady—grounding me when I couldn’t ground myself. Within what felt like seconds, the police arrived. Later I realized others must have already called too.
The officers asked for my license, registration, and insurance. I handed them over, still in shock. I called my insurance company right away, trying to figure out next steps while everything around me felt like it was spinning.
When I finally stepped out of my car, the reality of the damage hit me.
The entire right side was crushed. The tire was bent out of place. My car looked nothing like the one I had been driving just minutes earlier.
A tow truck was already on the way—called by the police. I didn’t even have time to think about alternatives.
I called my roommate. She rushed over to pick me up—and that’s when it finally hit me.
I broke down.
Up until that moment, I had been running purely on adrenaline and shock. But when I saw her, everything I had been holding in came pouring out. My mind had been blank. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t even process what had just happened.
On the drive home, I didn’t recognize the streets I knew by heart.
I was there—but I wasn’t there.
That night, I sat in front of the TV, staring at nothing. No show, no sound—just silence in my head. My roommate gave me something to help me calm down and sleep.
I don’t even remember falling asleep.
The Day After
I woke up sore.
That’s the thing about trauma—your body catches up after your mind does. The pain sets in once the shock begins to fade.
I was still shaken, but at least I could think clearly enough to start making calls—my lawyer, my insurance—trying to piece things together.
And somewhere in all of that, I started realizing something important:
I had just survived something serious.
It took me three days to fully process it—that this wasn’t just “an accident.” It was a life-and-death situation.
And I made it out alive.
What This Experience Taught Me
This experience changed me. It forced me to think about things we often take for granted—preparedness, awareness, and how quickly life can shift.
Here are the lessons I’m taking with me:
1. Always have emergency information ready.
Print out important numbers—insurance, roadside assistance like AAA, and at least one reliable emergency contact.
2. Keep a physical copy of your insurance.
Yes, it’s on your phone—but in high-stress situations, having a card ready makes everything easier.
3. Make sure your registration is current and accessible.
It’s a small thing—until it’s not.
4. Never drive without your license.
It sounds obvious, but in moments like this, every detail matters.
5. Don’t go cheap on insurance.
Coverage matters. When something serious happens, you’ll feel the difference immediately.
6. Invest in a good dashcam. Put front and back cameras.
A Final Reflection
In moments of crisis, it’s incredibly hard to stay alert and composed. That’s why preparation matters—it carries you when your mind can’t.
But more than anything, this experience reminded me of how fragile life really is.
We all know life is vulnerable. But knowing it and facing it are two very different things.
In a single moment, everything can change. Everything you’ve built, everything you’ve worked for—it can all be taken away.
And yet… I’m still here.
That, in itself, is everything.
April 9, 2026 / 8:40PM
Angelino AF (Asian Flavor) 
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