My name is Jessica. I was born March 22 in Canton, Georgia. My time there was brief, about 2 weeks, because my dad was Army and became stationed at Fort Knox, KY. I was the first child to my parents who were just married a little over a year when I was born. I don't have many memories from there but at 2 we moved to Washington state to Fort Lewis. I met one of my closes friends in the world there, Devlin. I had other friends, Brandi, Brandon and Brandon but Devlin and I were always close. I often remember us playing at the park behind our houses and watching wrestling with Hulk Hogan and Macho man Randy Savage. I know we use to eat at one another houses because, of course, we liked having our moms feed us twice. I don't think we could be separated too much. My brother was born in Washington state. My parents said I was mad because it was not puppies or kittens. I was 3 when Josh was born.
The year I turned 4 my dad received orders and we headed to Alaska. Since we weren't far from Alaska my parents packed us in the GMC Jimmy and headed North. Now most of the trip I do not remember. I do however know it was long, cold and there were nothing but mountains. Driving through Canada one day, we hit black ice. I remember right before I was reading to my brother from a book that had the kittens who lost their mittens in it. I had just told Josh to go to sleep because we were playing school. Then the world spun. I do know I spun a couple of times and went flying through the front windshield. When things became clear, I was standing near the edge of the cliff side calling for my dad and mom. I held the right side of my face because even as a 4 year old, I knew I was bleeding and hurt. I know I heard someone calling my name and I just went towards the sound. I couldn't see too well since my face was full of gravel and dirt. Then it goes black. I don't know when the ambulance took us away but I do know my next memory is when the doctors and nurses are trying to sew my face up. I know there were quite a few of them trying to hold me down and I was shouting " Get that sucker away from me!!" I know I was frightened and just wanted my mom and dad. I was scared that I wouldn't see them again. Come to find out, my dad broke his neck, my mom broke her wrist and my brother was perfectly fine because of his car seat. However if my seat belt would have held me like it was suppose to, I would have been dead. The left backside of the Jimmy was crushed in all the way, exactly where I was sitting. I do believe I was spared because God had a bigger plan for me. But when I was a kid even through my teenage years, I believed it was a punishment. I'll get to that eventually. From Whitehorse, Canada we flew to Fairbanks, Alaska. Everyone was recovering. My mom refused to let us all go in one vehicle together after that. I don't blame her, I probably would have done the same thing.
Until next time.... Alaska.
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
