As told to Lauren Levy by Fiona Simpson.Ā
On October 11, I learned a very important lesson: the destructive power of hail. Both my grandmother and I had appointments about 25 minutes away and we were driving home with my 4-month-old baby girl, Clara, in the back seat. The storm was far away and it wasnāt raining when we left so I wasn't concerned. I didnāt realize that it was coming toward us because I hadnāt checked my phone.
We had gotten halfway home when the storm -- complete with with tennis ball-sized hail -- hit.
I didnāt know how bad the storm was until the hail started. But even then, at first it was very small and I thought it would be all right. AsĀ thingsĀ got worse,Ā IĀ pulledĀ over because I couldn't see in front of me.Ā But thenĀ glassĀ startedĀ toĀ shatter.
Clara's window blew out first, with glass flying everywhere through the car.
I heard a loud bang and took off my seatbelt to jump in the back seat to cover (Clara). The car was just cold, wet, and it was just all blowing in. There wasnāt time to think about it, and I just laid on top of Clara's car seat trying to protect her. Clara screamed — I could see her crying but it was just so loud that I couldn't hear her. At first, I just tried to wait it out. It got so much heavier, so I unbuckled her from the car seat and pulled her out. But then the second passenger side window went where my grandmother was sitting. I didn't even hear it blow out. I just felt all of the extra wind, hail, and rain coming in. I didn't even have a chance to be scared. I focused on I covering my infant with my body to stop her from getting badly injured.
I donāt want to think about what would have happened to my daughter if I didnāt do what I did.
I was hoping it would pass, but the hail kept on getting heavier. It just felt like pins and needles on my back. Luckily, the bad hail only lasted a few minutes.Ā
I pulled her out of the car seat and pushed her into the front so my grandmother could hold her while I got back into the front seat. I grabbed her from my grandmother and then put her on the floor underneath my feet where the pedals are because I couldn't hold her with all of the hail coming in. The only safe place was on the floor.
I just didn't realize before this how dangerous hail was and exactly what it could do.
We were just in the wrong spot at the wrong time.
Clara just had a few cuts and bruises but nothing major, unlike me. I still canāt believe it happened and am so grateful that sheās here. My grandma was worse than me, but she's doing better and is home recovering now after spending a night in the hospital. I'm sore and tired, but my husband has been really great at taking care of us.Ā
I so appreciate all of the outpouring of concern and want people to know to please, please be careful in storms. Not just parents but anyone who drives in bad weather needs to be cautious. There were tons of other drivers on the road at the time, and it was just bad luck that it hit our car.
