"STRAIGHT UP ON DAT KRYPTONITE"
"I BE ON DAT, STRAIGHT UP ON DAT"
"I BE ON DAT KRYPTONITE"
"I I I I I BE ON IT ALL NIGHT, MAN I BE ON IT (DAY, DAY) ALL DAY"
"STRAIGHT UP PIMP IF YOU WANT ME YOU CAN FIND ME IN THE A.. A.. A"
There we were, Ansbachs Army Basketball team, waiting to play the championship game for Europe. I was so nervous that I felt breathless. I remember as soon as the whistle blew, my mind automatically blocked my ears from hearing anything, the bouncing of the ball, the crowd, the music... All I heard was my team mates, and whatever I was thinking to myself.
We watched in envy as the champions received their trophies. Second Place wasn't a part of my vocabulary, I felt it didn't suit me too well. We packed our bags jumped into 15 passenger van and said our goodbyes, we had a four hour drive ahead of us.
Seemed like it lasted an eternity when it happened... I closed my eyes to take a nap, I remember feeling the van jerk a little and then slowly tip to its right side. I didn't think much while it was tipping, just that maybe Captain was switching lanes, until I realized the tipping sensation wasn't leaving. I opened my eyes just as the van landed on its side. I sat on the right side in the very back with all the luggage, so just as the van hit, the glass windows that shattered pierced at my face. As the van slid on the cement sparks flew everywhere, the weight of everyone's luggage pushed me closer and closer towards the cement. I tried so hard to hold myself up, but the luggage was too heavy my shoulder was now being dragged... I remember thinking as my face got closer and closer to the cement "GOD, PLEASE, GOD, PLEASE, GOD!!!". Just as my forehead touched the cement, the van flipped on its top, being in the back, everyone looked like lifeless ragdolls. By the time the van had come to a stop, it was completely on its left side and was on fire.
I managed to be the first one to jump out of the van and upon jumping out I looked in and noticed no one was moving. I ran into the street trying to stop the cars to help me, but these germans were stubborn, and whipped by as if nothing happened. I ran back to the van, and noticed my teammate who had brought her son along was yelling "Take him Sekona, Please!" I pulled her son out, and noticed a women had pulled over, so I ran and handed him to her. I ran back and started pulling others out, all the while, I cried in fear, that not everyone was going to make it. As I pulled someone out, they were quick to assist in helping the next out.
When we realized everyone had made it, we managed to make it to safe grounds just as the van blew up.
There were two Army coins given out the next week for heroism, I was one of the recipients.
This might have been the worst experience I had ever faced in my life. Until this day, I'm afraid of freeways and still can't trust anyone to drive me anywhere. I am grateful the team had the lord to look after us. I have the most horrific scar on my shoulder where I was dragged, to remind me everyday of this unpleasant day, but also to remind me that life is important, live it... because within an instant, it can be taken away.
