On January 17, 1996, my brother was killed in a car accident. It happened at 10:30 am in Idaho. I was living in Wisconsin at the time and at 11:30 a.m. I began having headaches and chest pains that would not go away. These lasted until 10:30 p.m. that night. I received a call from my dad at 11:30 p.m. telling my brother had died in an auto accident. They had arrived home an hour before and the coroner was sitting in the driveway waiting to tell them. She had been sitting there since 11:30 a.m. Wisconsin time.

A year later my oldest boy took his truck to school before he had permission to do so and coming down a hill he hit an icy spot and lost control. As panic took over he could not control the truck and let go of the steering wheel and watched helplessly as a 30ft drop off slid in front of them. He looked at the boy he was giving a ride to and saw my brother sitting in the middle with his hands on the steering wheel. The truck missed the 30ft drop off and hit 20 feet down the road into a group of slow rotting trees that cushioned the impact and let the truck down 15 ft to the field below. After the truck came to rest the engine and part of the transmission were sitting in the middle between the two boys. The boys were stuck in the truck and could not get out. My son said that his uncle told him to get out through the back window and get help. The back window was the only window broken. It hit my son later on that night when I found out and wanted to kill him myself. He said that my brother had told him I'd be really mad but to remember that I loved him and he had just scared me.

Later in 1996 my oldest daughter was involved in a car accident. A girlfriend of hers was driving the car and wanted to see how much air she could catch off this little hill that made you feel like you could fly not matter how slow you went over it. My daughter put on her seat belt and asked her not to do it. But it was too late. See saw that the girl had lost control of the car and that they were going to crash. She said she heard my brother say "Hang on we are going to crash, but you will be O.K." The car rolled three times and landed on its wheels. The officer said it rolled end of end and the dents on the top of the car matched the dents in the field.

After the car stopped, both girls in front were un-conscience. My daughter said that my brother grabbed her by her hands and then by her waist and helped her out to the car and to the road to get help. Both girls ended up with nerve damage and concussions. All my daughter ended up with was having to go pee and having to wait until the doctors took her off the back board.

It is a relief to know that when I could not be there for my kids, my brother was. I hope he watches over all my kids.