This Monday, January 27th 2014, a Greyhound bus leaving from Montreal to Ottawa, with a final stop in Toronto, was involved in a collision with a propane truck on Highway 417, one hour outside of Ottawa. The bus departed from Montreal at 10:20 am to arrive around 2:00 pm in Ottawa. However, due to poor weather and blowing snow, there was limited visibility. The Greyhound bus drove straight into a propane truck, disheveling the entire front section of the bus in mere seconds. Many passengers were badly injured.
Myself, sitting in the front left side of this bus, experienced the scariest moment of my life and experienced true trauma. Looking around me, the sight was tragic, the Greyhound’s windows were shattered, seats pulled up, and the front smashed in, people were bleeding all around, screaming and crying. This moment changed me forever.
Turning rotten lemons into lemonade, as the cliché goes, is sometimes the most difficult thing to do, until you are actually placed in a situation in which finding positivity is the only option. This moment sincerely put things into perspective, and within seconds, the minor things in life that I was thinking about were no longer relevant. I cared about my injured friend, about the people around me who needed help, and about the safety and health of all of us passengers in this threatening situation. I learned that the most important thing about life is really to be grateful for all that you have, big or small.
Another vital thing to note about traumatic situations, such as this experience, is the importance of counseling. As of now, I have been leaning on my friend, who was involved in the crash with me, as well as my loved ones, who have been able to provide me support. But in the instance that I really feel I need to seek professional help, I will, because it’s normal to be emotionally, mentally and physically scared. These events might render you a feeling of vulnerability, and may have life long psychological effects.
If you have experienced a traumatic event, or need some advice, you can contact the counseling service at the University of Ottawa at 613-562-5200, or others in you local community.
The article was written from the writer’s perspective.