story10289.xml

story10289.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2004-01-02

It was 4:00am New Mexico time. I was in Eldorado,NM. I was unloading at my last stop. I was pulling out a pallet that was around 9 feet tall. As I was pulling it very slowly toward me it got highsided on the edge of the trailer, sending the whole contents of the pallet on top of me. I have always been very carefull pulling these out because Affiliated Foods were getting sloppy, and wrapping their pallets loosely. I had turned my head to make sure of my footing and the whole 1000lbs came down on top of me. I cried out for it seemed like 10 minutes until one of the store employes came out and went for help... I was under the pallets load until I was freed. I thought I had pulled a muscle and took some anvil for the pain. I had called my company and told them what had happened. Before I got to Santa Rosa I got called my wife and told her what had happened. Several minutes later I heard on the c.b. that the twin towers in New York had been hit. And my wife called again telling me what had happeded. When I got to Santa Rosa, I called my safety person and told her what had happened,I had a accdent and I was hurting. My semi-truck went 90 miles an hour and that was what I was did. I was passing every thing including cow trucks. I was hurting bad at this time,My pain was was mine and I felt the pain of the others too that were in N.Y. I had made it back to Amarillo and went to the doctor. I had broken my back. I found out 8 months later that I had blown 2 discs too. I had surgery on Oct 30,2002. I now have 2 eight inch rods and 16 screws and part of my spine is fused. I was feeling the pain of the people of Sept 11,2001 with my own. I still have those feelings, their loss and mine.