Accident

[sctmom 11]

I see under the Headlines there is a story about a boy being hurt at a Boy Scout yard sale on Saturday. That was my son's troop. We were there.

 

The yard sale is THE fundraiser of the year for this troop. Normally it is held in May and at another location. For various reasons it we happened to be in that parking lot on this particular Saturday. We had done a lot of business Friday evening as we unloaded the trucks full of donated items. The parking lot is at an intersection shaped like a "T". A very busy intersection only about a mile from the interstate.

 

The bus was stolen from an area about 30 miles from our town. The man did not know to release the brakes, which cause the bus to catch fire. Most people heard the bus hit the sign, looked up to see a flaming bus heading toward us, coming down a small embankment. Luckily it came at the edge of our area and the sign made it stop. It was already being followed by a fire truck and helicopter. The driver jumped out and ran. Some of the men saw that and continued to follow him across the busy parking lot, causing him to be caught by security guards.

 

We are all very upset about the young boy who was hurt. As of about 11:00 Saturday night, he was out of surgery and in serious condition. He was a 7 year old shopping with his mother, in his baseball uniform. One of our scouts was hit with flying debris. One of our fathers hurt (I think broke) his hand. One scout scraped up his knee pretty bad when he fell while running. The 7 year old was life lifted to the nearest children's hospital. We are a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia, so it didn't take long for the helicopter to get him there. He had head injuries and a broken leg.

 

Customers who had items in their hand, came back to pay. Some people showed up later after seeing it on the news and gave us money. Word got to our Council and District, representatives from both showed up to help in the clean up later that day. A neighboring troop showed up to help clean up. Some of those boys had just returned from Summer Camp that morning.

 

We had about 14 boys there when it happened. They all showed great courage and behaved wonderfully. They stayed out of the way, were concerned about each other and their parents. Many of these boys are only 11 years old. Most knew immediately they needed to call their mothers or whoever was at home to tell them before the news hit the TV's and radios. Many dads were there and a few of us moms. We took the boys into the Walmart to eat. They all were wonderfully patient as we tried to get food for 20 people. Some could not eat because of the stress. Since our whole yard sale became the police scene, many of us went home to rest and came back later. Some of the boys stayed at home. We were already tired before this happened. The boys knew to be very thankful it was not worse than it was. I did not hear ANY disrespectful remarks from these young men. Some had to wait to see their dads, who were over near the rescue units.

 

The managers of Walmart were personally concerned about us and about the mother of the hurt boy. They immediately brought ice water out to everyone in the area.

 

Thanks for reading such a long post. Please keep our boys and the injuried child in your thoughts. A grief counselor is being contacted to attend our next troop meeting and be available for the boys and adults. We are very fortunate no one was trapped under the bus or directly hit.

 

True Scout spirit showed as the boys stuck together through the afternoon and the men assisted the police and rescue teams. Also, when the other Scouts and Scouters showed up to help with the clean up and give emotional support.

 

[Bob White 20]

I'm very sorry to hear about the accident. My family will keep your injured in our prayers. I hope everyone recovers quickly.

 

Bob White

[sctmom 11]

The child hurt in by the falling sign died Sunday evening around 8:00.

 

Please keep the family in your prayers. He was not a Boy Scout but still someone's child. And could have been one of our children. We are all very distraught.

 

 

[lasteagle83 10]

sctmom, I heard about the accident last night and wondered if your troop was involved. I used to work in the area many years ago, and I'm familiar with that WMart.

 

Sadly, too, I just finished watching the early news and heard of the passing of the young boy who was injured.

 

Our thoughts are with the family of the boy, as well as the scouts who had to witness this tragedy.

 

Scouts aren't supposed to "grow up" in the space of one afternoon.....

[JaRae876 10]

I am so sorry sctmom about all that happened this past weekend. I will keep all of you, the boys, the families and the boy who died family in my prayers.

 

JaRae

[slontwovvy 10]

I will keep everyone involved in my prayers.

 

SlontWovvy

[sctmom 11]

An article and picture of the bus.

The sign had been up at the top of the grassy area behind the bus.

 

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/0602/17bus.html

 

[OldGreyEagle 5]

Mom, I am so sorry this happened. I hope all involved recover.

[eagle90 125]

Sctmom -

 

So sorry to hear of this tragedy. We have a Summer Camp orientation meeting tonight and I plan to open with a prayer for your scouts and a moment of silence.

 

Is there going to be a memorial or fund of any kind for this young boy? Please let us know.

[sctmom 11]

Our troop committee is meeting Tuesday night to discuss what we can do for the boy's family. Then at the troop meeting a professional counselor will talk to the Scouts and parents.

 

In our troop we have a scout who lost a younger brother to head injuries by being hit by a car just 2 1/2 years ago. He was not there on Saturday but is very upset about this.

 

They still don't know why the man stole the bus. He had his first hearing this morning, no bond has been set. He is being charged with felony murder among other things.

 

[sctmom 11]

UPDATE:

 

June 17, 2002 -- The lawyer for a man charged with stealing a tour bus and ramming it into a Wal-Mart sign, killing a little boy, said today that the suspect was controlled by "demonic forces."

 

Defense attorney Phillip Ruppert the man, Terry McCreary, has previously been diagnosed as a parnoid schizophrenic. Ruppert said McCreary is unsure how he got onto the bus. "He feels he was possessed by demonic forces," said Ruppert.

 

McCreary is charged on 11 counts, including felony murder.

 

Jordan Curtis suffered severe head injuries when a signpost, knocked over by the bus, fell on him.

 

The child died at Scottish rite hospital shortly before 8 p.m. last night.

 

This is a crime that even police are having a hard time understanding

 

"It is very peculiar," said Henry County Lt. Michael Gaddis.

 

Police say McCreary stole the tour bus near Six flags Over Georgia and led them on a 30 mile chase on Saturday before crashing into the Wal-Mart sign. The impact caused the sign to topple onto Curtis. Despite the tragedy some believe it could have been worse if the sign didn't block the bus.

 

Now there is a makeshift memorial for Jordan in the parking lot.

 

[sctmom 11]

We had a troop meeting last night. A professional counselor came and talked to the boys for about an hour. Some of the boys who were not there were also shook up.

 

Someone else in the community has set up a trust fund for the boy.

 

We found out that we have to be very careful in what we do so that we do not appear to be saying BSA is responsible in anyway. Some shoppers in the parking lot at the time of the accident are trying to sue Wal-Mart for the stress they endured. It's a shame such things have to be discussed.

 

The troop is doing something for the family and trying to keep a low profile. We are very sensitive about respecting the family's privacy and understanding they may not want to hear from us. We have contact with a family spokesperson.

 

Please continue to keep the boy's family in your prayers.

 

[sctmom 11]

A final update:

 

 

Jordan Curtis loved baseball. He dreamed of one day becoming an Atlanta Brave. A Tennessee funeral home has honored the 7-year-old's dream of playing in the big leagues by donating a baseball diamond-shaped burial site for him.

 

He was buried Thursday in Lewisburg, Tenn., at home plate of the 625-square-foot infield his mother and father named "Jordan's Field," a gift to them from Christopher Taylor, owner of Bills-McGaugh Funeral Home in Lewisburg.

 

"He wanted to play for the Braves," said Wende Curtis, 27. "He would always say, 'Mommy I am going to play for the Braves and then you will not have to work anymore.' "

 

The complete article is at:

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/0602/21funeral.html

 

 

[accident-law 10]

If accident is due to negligence then you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver.

[John-in-KC 311]

Welcome to the campfire.

 

Please note the thread you are commenting on is seven years old.