8 years ago today....and my love for Saturn

I've been driving a Saturn model like this one for about 10 years - 3 different cars, same make and model with three doors and sunroof. When I bought the first one, my dog Gracie and me were actually filmed in a Saturn commercial as Gracie went to the dealership with me to make sure she was okay with rear 3rd door -- it opens from the inside and swings out. We had quite a time! We loved that car. Then, one day, I was heading home in the middle of negotiating a move, a divorce and a life transition into my doctoral program at UT. I was heading south on IH 35, going the speed limit of 70 mph. I still remember the song that was playing on the stereo. There was a grass median in between the northbound and southbound lane. Heading north on the opposite side was a young woman in her SUV, speeding and passing people on the inside (adjacent to median) lane. She caught some gravel, lost control and came careening across the median, hitting me head on. I saw her coming and there nothing I could do - I was, quite literally, a sitting duck and saw her coming. Her speedometer was clocked at 80 mph at the point of impact. After we collided, my car bounced around the freeway, was hit again and spun around and around and around, was hit again, and finally, after constant spinning, stopped. I didn't know where I was. In the middle of the freeway? In a ditch? I couldn't see out of the car - all the windows were broken. I felt my hands and feet and squirmed around and everything felt like it was okay, but I was terribly shaken. I heard some voices outside my car, and they said, "There's no way. They can't be alive." I yelled for help, and someone told me to cover my face as they popped out the broken glass in the window. A man peered in and asked if I was okay - "Sure! Please just get me out of here!" But they couldn't. Jaws of life arrived, an ambulance followed and they finally got me out. I couldn't believe what I saw when I got out...I just could not believe it. I vomited, the sight was so upsetting as I tried to comprehend what had just happened. These pictures of my car were taken the following day at the wrecking yard where my Saturn was transported: I found out while in the emergency room that the woman who hit me was a mother and was killed instantly. She didn't have her children with her and must have been in a hurry to get home. Even more tragically, another car that was involved had children inside and they were in surgery with life threatening injuries. I never knew their outcome. I walked out of the ER with some scrapes, a sore ankle and sore shoulder. I walked out. I should not have lived through that -- many have seen these pictures and said so. Three tires were knocked off of their rims by the sheer force of the collision. My luggage remained in the trunk but the suitcases were literally in shreds from the impact. A computer printer in pieces in the seat from the forces that shook it. My watch was ripped off my wrist and somehow was found up and underneath the front dashboard. The next day I was hurting from sore muscles and such, but was okay physically: I think there is more in that picture than words can say.
After that incident, I got a Saturn, exact model but newer year.. And then, replaced that one with the exact model when the time came. That's the one I have now. It's got 100,000 miles on it. They don't make the coupe anymore -- too bad. That car and angels undoubtedly saved my life. I will never forget that day. I remain so thankful that I was given the chance to live and live with purpose. I hope to always live my life with purpose. I keep a picture of the wrecked Saturn on my bureau to remind me how lucky I am to be here, and pray every day to live my life with purpose.

Post Script: This is a tough post......I started it several months ago when I was contemplating buying another car, and thinking about how much I love Saturn. I looked up the insurance files and stuff related to the accident after locking away those memories for many years. It's not a good memory -- but, a lesson that I will always carry with me. I thank God I lived and try to make the most of every day.