Things will never be the same from now

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Veem · #1 Post by **Veem** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 10:19 pm

Today I went to lunch with a friend.

Returning home on our very quiet lane, an approaching car driver slowed me down to tell me the lane was blocked. I was outside our land by then so I turned in. The hunt had been very active today. Biggles had seen and heard 2s and blues on the lane and assumed a hunter had met some sad fate.

Another friend was on her way to return some repaired horse rugs to me.

She arrived looking shaken and tearful. She told me she'd been slowed down on the lane, a little beyond our drive by a young frantic girl. She stopped and saw a man, completely motionless in the ditch along with a bike. The young girl told her he was her father. A woman had arrived in a car and was calling for emergency services. Between them the two women pulled the lifeless man from the ditch onto the verge. My friend (an ex nurse) carried out CPR for 30 minutes until help arrived.

The man was dead. The little girl had asked him to go on a bike ride today as the weather was so beautiful. But he lost his life. A little girl has lost her father. Her mother has lost her partner.

It was such a beautiful day, but lives have been changed forever.

Blaze · #2 Post by **Blaze** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 10:31 pm

How awful ... poor little girl. Accident ? Heart attack ? However it happened, the result would be devastating for the family

Veem · #3 Post by **Veem** » Thu Dec 30, 2021 10:55 pm

My friend suspected a massive heart attack and pretty much instant death. So she realised that there was almost certainly nothing to be done other than reassure the people present that she was doing something. I remember being told on a first aid course that to reassure any onlookers, you should be seen to be doing something everyone could have faith in, even if you knew it would make no difference.

Bayleaf · #4 Post by **Bayleaf** » Fri Dec 31, 2021 7:17 am

How absolutely awful for that little girl - for everyone involved, but I feel for her. At least hopefully it was quick for her Dad.

Blaze · #5 Post by **Blaze** » Fri Dec 31, 2021 8:25 am

Veem wrote: ↑Thu Dec 30, 2021 10:55 pm remember being told on a first aid course that to reassure any onlookers, you should be seen to be doing something everyone could have faith in, even if you knew it would make no difference.

Absolutely right, Veem. Other people present can be reassured when someone among them knows what they are doing - they can suffer from shock too. The young girl also needs to be reassured that the heart attack could have happened at at time, in any place. One day she will be glad to have been with her father at the time - he could have been alone ...
Sudden death is hard to deal with and I hope the family get plenty of support.

manonthemoon2 · #6 Post by **manonthemoon2** » Fri Dec 31, 2021 9:46 am

How awful and sad for you all, especially the little girl losing her Dad

Sparkle · #7 Post by **Sparkle** » Fri Dec 31, 2021 6:26 pm

Dreadful for all.

L Austin France · #8 Post by **L Austin France** » Fri Dec 31, 2021 6:57 pm

Must be a country thing.
Years ago,when dog walking, my wife came across an 'old gal' in a ditch who had obviously just fallen off her 'bike & was too shocked to crawl out.
She bought said 'old gal' back to ours for tea & sympathy & this turned into a great relationship as her 'old man' was the chairman of a local boating association who took me out on his boat for many a fishing trip. There were also boozy long weekends with him & his boaty mates when my missus went on cycling tours with the 'old gal' & her friends.
Sadly he died a few years ago & she moved away but it was great whilst it lasted.

France in Focus

France in Focus