Expecting the Unexpected

Tonight, around 11 pm (if I have my facts right), a very close friend of my family was driving his car and got into a rollover accident. They rolled three times according to eyewitness accounts. He had one passenger in the car with him. He was ejected from the car through the front windshield, which makes me think he wasn't wearing a seat belt. They were both taken to the hospital, both sustaining very serious injuries.

From what I know from my family who is at the hospital for him, he was immediately taken into surgery for damage control. He suffered a lot of pancreatic damage. They removed part of his bowel and they inserted a shunt to relieve pressure to his brain. They told my dad that it didn't look good. He definitely suffered some heavy brain damage, but of course, no one will know how bad it is until he wakes up. They said his heart is strong, so he may live through this with some severe injuries to work through.

I just was caught so off guard. It was so late. His grandparents are in South Carolina dealing with one of his great-grandmother's health. They can't get a hold of his grandfather to even let him know what is going on with his grandson. His mother is there at the hospital and can't make any decisions for her son because the grandparents have the power of attorney. There are so many people waiting to see him and make sure that he's okay. My dad and sister are there waiting to see him and to be there for him. They've been talking to the doctors and nurses, trying to get information and be as helpful as possible. My dad has been calling his grand father over and over again. No answer, just voice mail. I'm just glad my sister and parents were contacted so that more people could be there for him.

I can't sleep just thinking about him. I watched him grow up! I met him as a baby. I watched him through some cub scouts, elementary school, junior high, high school... I know that he's made some bad decisions but he is really such a great kid. I have been praying non-stop that he wasn't drinking or smoking something. That he just lost control of his car on the ice, took a turn too fast or just couldn't stop at the light. I just hope he wasn't fighting with the other person in the car. I want it to all literally be a mistake, an accident. I want him to be fine and well. 

He wanted to badly to be in the military, and I worry that his chances to fulfill that dream are gone.

I'm worrying about his grandfather, too. His grandmother has early-onset Alzheimer's. His grandfather does a good job taking care of her. I just can't imagine how he will handle having to take care of her and take care of my friend. I am trying to just hope for the very best for him and for his family. I am hoping that the other person in the car is doing well also.

I'm doing a lot of praying tonight so that I can hopefully hear some good news and get some studying done tomorrow.

EDIT: Please note that at the time the author wrote this post she did not know that the car was not Jaleel's. It was a friend's car.