Students Survive Car Crash on Homecoming

Photos courtesy of Daisy Bolin

One moment junior Will Curran and four of his friends were on their way from dinner to East for the homecoming dance. His date in shotgun and another couple in the back, they drove down State Line approaching 73rd Street. Suddenly, Curran saw headlights. There was a car crossing in front that had no intention of stopping. In an instant, Curran’s car hit the backside of the other car, despite slamming on the breaks.

The car spun out and airbags deployed. The car ended up in someone’s yard straddling the curb, but everyone in the car initially seemed okay despite a few air bag burns. The other car on the other hand went airborne, hit a stoplight and the passengers were taken out on stretchers.

“The situation for us could have been significantly worse,” Curran said. “That idea is frightening because two feet and less than a second would have made all the difference.”

After finding out, the rest of their homecoming group rushed to the accident to make sure their friends were OK. Junior Grant Raedal was the first to arrive after receiving a phone call from one of the girls in the car saying that they had gotten in a wreck.

Initially, none of the friends were allowed to go near the accident because of the swarm of fire-fighters and police.

“As we were waiting, all we saw was a flipped car and our friend’s car in someone else’s lawn,” Raedal said. “When they let us go over everyone was pretty shaken and we just hugged them. As we were standing there we realized how tragic it could have been.”

After the police got their statements, the dance was already coming to an end, but the group still decided to have their after party. Although it was a slow start to the night according to Curran, it ended up picking up and everyone had a lot of fun.

Curran and his date, junior Daisy Bolin both ended up having concussions from the impact and angle of the air bag. The passengers in the back seat just had bruises.

Both Bolin and Curran spent around a week recovering, which included lots of sleep, half days of school and refraining from sports and excess screen time.

“It was traumatizing enough that it even happened,” Bolin said. “We are blessed that everyone walked away with only minor injuries. I value my friends so much so I know there’s a reason we were all okay.”