In an instant

Yesterday, I left work with what I have come to call a "feeling of impending doom," that knot in my chest that tells me something bad is about to happen. And last night, something did.

Perhaps I've developed a sixth sense about these things given I've spent the last four years of my life working as a police reporter, but I've felt this sense of doom on at least two other occasions, and both instances ended tragically.

Last night, while waiting for the premiere of Grey's Anatomy, my fears were confirmed: I heard the local fire department get dispatched for a motor vehicle accident with possible entrapment. I grabbed a sweatshirt, found my shoes and sped off into the night, wondering what I would encounter when I arrived in the area of the crash. As I rounded a bend in the road, I saw the familiar strobing red and blue lights of the fire trucks and police cruisers. I stashed my car in a parking lot about a quarter of a mile away from the accident and jogged down towards the emergency apparatus haphazardly parked in the middle of the road, careful not to get in anybody's way.

Though I only stayed for about 15 minutes, watching the emergency crews work to pull the victims from the two cars using the Jaws of Life, I felt almost immediately the severity of the situation. I didn't speak to anyone; I stayed as far away from the crash as possible (at least as far as my camera lens would allow, given I had to get a photo for the paper), but I could still hear the frantic calls of the EMTs and paramedics who were attending to the crash victims, and their voices told me everything.

By the time I got to work this morning, I already knew the accident had claimed the life of at least two people. Two more people were seriously injured. I can't help but shudder at the knowledge and feel sad that in an instant, the lives of so many people were forever changed.

Because of my job, I often face realities some people like to ignore: death is a part of life. I've covered countless accidents and fires that resulted in fatalities and still more that caused very serious injuries, so I know all too well how fragile life really is. I've been to murder scenes and have reported on stabbings and attempted murders. I've seen a lot. We all like to think it'll never happen to us, but the reality is at some point in our life we, too, will be faced with a life-changing situation.

I could easily have been the victim in last night's crash; I drive down that road if not every day then at least several times a week. What if it was me? What if it was someone I know and love?

Last night I learned a valuable lesson at the expense of another: we are not invincible. All it takes is an instant.