We were all on our way to a plant picnic at Dorney Park. We were supposed to all travel together but Niki had to take Cheyenne to her dads because she was to small for the park, so we said we would see her there.
When we got there we waited awhile at the entrance, then decided to go in and wait for them at the pavilion where we were to have lunch. We were having lunch and someone told me I was just paged to go to the front office, so my youngest son and I went to the front desk and they took me outside the park and informed me there had been an accident. I said "Oh my God Niki" They told me they had no idea of how bad it was and took us straight to Lehigh Vally Hospital. When we arrived they informed us that they thought that she had some internal bleeding and she was in the OR and she was conscious and talking and knew what was going on. I told my husband that I wanted to stay there after she came out of the OR but he said she will still be under for a while we will go back to the park with the other kids and come back to the hospital before going home. We were told she would be fine. Then someone came and got us and said the doctor was waiting to talk to us so we went in the room and he looked at us and said I'm sorry she did have internal bleeding but it was her liver it was in pieces. I don't remember much after that except that I had to see my little girl. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity they took us to the chapel to see her. I remember walking down the isle and her laying there on a strecher.I cried and kissed her and stroked her hair,they ask me if I wanted a piece of her hair I could only nod, so they cut off a lock of her hair and I held it so tightly. We had to leave her behind because they wanted to do an autopsy and I had other children I had to inform of their sisters death. One of the hardest things I had to do was to tell my younger kids. After telling them we left for home. So a day that was set aside for a day of family fun turned into a tragedy in an instant. It was determined that thing that saves lives took Niki's, her seatbelt constricted to tightly and lacerated her liver.
I live that day and the week that followed each and every day. I regret not traveling together, then I could have held her, told her I loved her and try to kiss away the pain. I held her when she entered this world, but I couldn't hold her as she left.
Niki I love you, and I hold you in my heart Mom
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