Karri had been wearing her seatbelt, but her childhood friend who had been driving had not. Karri found herself hanging in the passenger seat in her seatbelt, dazed and bruised, but relatively unharmed. Her friend was not in the deriver’s seat, but had been thrown into the back seat. She was bloody and in great pain.
Karri’s passenger window was out, so she peeks up over the car and discovers all her luggage strewn out across the freeway. She gains her perspective and realizes that their wreck is in the oncoming lanes of traffic and those drivers are also fishtailing in the icy dark morning. She gets herself unbelted and kicks out the windshield to get out of the car. She’s trying to get her friend out of the back seat when one of the drivers who had stopped to help prevented her from moving the injured woman. Another woman, a young lady driving an SUV, loses control of her car and ends up slammed into the guardrail just yards away from Karri’s friend stuck in the rolled-over car.
Ambulances arrive and Karri and her friend are loaded into the back. The young girl from the SUV is dazed and hurt, but refuses to get into an ambulance because she “doesn’t have insurance and can’t afford it.” The paramedics ask if she’s OK, she says she is, and so they leave her there with the police and depart. Karri is furious and asks, “Don’t you think that’s disgusting that she won’t get checked out because she says she can’t afford it?!?” The EMT replaies, “This isn’t the place for a political discussion.”
At the hospital, Karri’s friend is found to have broken her forearm in two places and had to have glass pulled out of her eye. Karri is just a little bruised and sore, but did suffer a minor concussion. Otherwise, hooray for Ralph Nader’s crusade to make seat belts mandatory and make cars safer in general – it saved my sister’s life.
We’re back in Denver at her friend’s house. Her friend is upstairs sleeping away on Fentanyl with her husband out getting her Vicodin prescription. We’re enjoying 4:20 in the Mountain Time Zone and reminding Karri what she had said yesterday. She had finished performing a reading of Hunter S. Thompson’s poetry in his home before his widow Anita, bringing the audience to tears. She had enjoyed some great conversations with Keith Stroup and other wonderful people she’d met at the Aspen Legal Seminar. She had reveled in the gourmet delights we enjoyed at the NORML events. She’d danced to me playing bass along with NORML’s Bill Panzer on guitar at a jam session in the rain at Hunter’s place. And after recounting how she had the most incredible weekend of her life, she said,
“I just wanna say that if I were to die this weekend, I could die happy knowing I had the best weekend ever!”
I’ve known Karri since 1994 and I joke that she is my half-half sister (I have a different dad, she has a different mom) but in all honesty she’s the closest I have to a sister. We’ve lived together for years as roommates and we’ve been there for each other’s toughest moments. When I got the call this morning that she’d been in an accident, my heart sank. I am so incredibly grateful she is alive and relatively unhurt.
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cheesus thats insane, and redicilous what the EMT replied but im not supprised healthcare people in ths country, well at least COLORADO think they are god, the president and the law all in one they choose who they want to help, Ive beenn treated so shitty in the hospitals here and like a sub human because Im disabled and young, im not trying to get into this hear tho here my only concern is that Karri and her friend are ok!! I wish a speedy recovery to you both! and if your recovering in CO by chance for some reason Ill come burn a blunt with ya! :) take care and be well! and were all happy to be able to hear your voice again on the stash!!
I was missing my daily fix of the Stash when I checked in. I’m so glad she’s ok. When I read the headline I was crushed. Accidents, even ones you can walk away from, are traumatic and terrifying for most people. Can’t wait til you’re back on. God Bless and God Speed.
Karri,
I am so glad you were okay! Those mountain roads can be pretty treacherous with the snow, and I agree with you that it is very disgusting that a possibly injured person cannot afford to get checked out to make sure there is nothing wrong with her. I hope she truly was okay, and not just avoiding additional expenses. Hope your friend is feeling better and recovering swiftly.
Jen
I was shocked to see this headline on another site. I am glad you are both ok and wish you a speedy recovery. A seatbelt saved my life once in a roll over and I know how scarry it can be. Your experience sounds even scarier knowing there are other drivers out of control headed your way. Good luck with your recovery, I hope to see you back in action real soon. Take Care!
Karri,
I just logged on for first time in days. Then I said a prayer of Thanksgiving. For you fastening your seatbelt, for the good samaritans who stopped to help you, for the EMT’s and the ER Nurses & Docs. I hope your friend enjoys a very speedy recovery. I also hope that neither of you ever rides without a seatbelt again. Much love,
Pooky
A touching tribute to friendship. Thanks for sharing, Russ.
get well Karri and hope your friend heals well peace
“The EMT replies, ‘This isn’t the place for a political discussion.’ ”
Only in America………..
Glad everyone’s ok
Heal!
“I am so incredibly grateful she is alive and relatively unhurt.”
definitely! glad it turned out relatively well. Hope you are feelin better soon
Kari and friend.
Bill Reid
Dear Karri,
My heart goes out to you and your companion. Were I a praying man, I’d certainly include you both, as well as those who are close to you and are surely hurting over your hurt.
For what it’s worth, just remember that, after a day or two, each day will bring the healing that will make it better.
And remember there are thousands of NSL fans rooting for a speedy recovery.
Robert Delaney
Executive Director
NORML Louisiana
Get well soon!
And don’t let anyone take any of that nasty vicodin stuff! Opiates only if the cannabis doesn’t do enough for the pain.
Karri Lea, you are considered a friend, as I am sure you are to many around here.
So happy to hear you’re alright after the accident. Rest now dear heart, rest good and much love to you and the other gal who was driving.
Holy Shit Girl !!!!!!!