It was a beautiful mid August Sunday in 1978. We were on our way from church to take care of Rookie and Wizmak at the farm, then head to Avon, CT to attend and play music at a CD release party for some friends. Our son, Carson was going to play and sing with us for the first time. (This is a correction from the original post, since I have found my journal with the original story)
As we leisurely traveled over Wingdale Mountain approaching Hoag’s Corners, a vehicle coming from the opposite direction was slowing down to turn onto West Dover Rd. Then suddenly, the driver decided to go instead of stopping. I said out loud, “They’re not going to!” and Tom said, “Surely!!”, Then as I said, “We are going to hit…!” And hit we did!! We broad sided the large Ford Expedition on the passenger side of front end. It all happened so quick. The air bag deployed sending what appeared to be smoke through the van. Carson was behind me in the middle seat gasping for breath from the smoke and seatbelt impact to his chest. Tom jumped out of the van and immediately pulled Carson out, then pulled my door open. I too had shortness of breath and severe pain in my chest. We gathered all our important things from the van. Then I had to sit down. There was someone standing in front of their house and let Tom in to use the phone to call my Father. I had to go to the hospital in a ambulance.
You don’t really know how bad you are hurt until after you get to the Hospital and are evaluated. My sternum was fractured and ribs pulled from each side of the seat belt. Whiplash as well. Tom was to find out later that he had a ruptured lumbar disc. We spent years recovering, and to make this short, we made it through with the assistance of family and many dear friends who did so much to help us through everything.
I moved Rookie to a farm down the road from where we lived, and my Dad made a pen for Wizmak at our house. Wizmak was 15. I had her since she was a baby. She had a good life at the farm, and was with our pot belly pigs at home, which she didn’t think much of. She passed not long afterward.
Rookie and I at East Mountain Farm and Stables
After 5 years of living life in recovery mode, and dealing with all the “challenges” that go with it, we received a settlement that enabled us to buy a place further upstate in Middleburgh where I could, for the first time in my life, have my horses at my own farm.
Rookie’s story briefly intertwines with Sage’s. I miss them both…
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March 13, 2025
In August of 1998, Me, my husband and our son were on our way to take care of the horses before we went to play music at a Benefit Concert to help raise money for some people who lost their home in a fire. On the way to the barn, a car turned out in front of us which resulted in a serious auto accident that changed the trajectory of our “planned” lives …
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