I learned on March 15, 2003 that planning for activities was vital. I had always been told that, but preferred to take the “roughing it” way. However, on this trip we were prepared, and that saved us.
We were on our way to a four day backpacking trip in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Our two vehicles, a 1987 Chevy Silverado and a newer Chevy truck, left McAllen, Texas around 5:00 AM. In the truck was Ludwig Barragan, Nick Valdez, Omar Gamez, and Don Melaragno, the adult leader. In the Silverado was Rick Gamez, Mario Olivarez, Gonzo Sanchez, Jose Gamez, our adult leader, and myself, Ben Salinas. We decided to take the autopistas, Mexican toll ways, because they were better roads, even though we would have to pay nearly $100 in tolls, per car. We stopped around 8:00 AM to gas up the Silverado, which gets 10 miles/gallon, and to eat our tacos which we brought.
It happened at 9:30, almost precisely. We were just passed Monterrey when it happened. Rick, Gonzo, and I had just started a Magic: The Gathering game. The Silverado lost control and rolled one and a half times. I had no chance to realize what was going it. I just thought, “Oh, we are flipping over. That’s nice.” It wasn’t until the car stopped rolling, and Mario yelled, “I smell smoke! Get out of the car!” that I realized what happened. Mario saw the red brake light, and thought it was a fire, so the two of us got out immediately through a half broken window which had been held together by the tinting film. Gonzo got out at about the same time, through another window, and I had no knowledge of anything else that was happening.
When I got out, I saw Mr. Gamez on the ground, with his neck and head out of the driver’s broken window. I immediately thought the worst and asked him if he was okay. Thankfully he answered, yes, that we felt fine and ordered me to check on Rick. I didn’t believe him, so I stayed there and made sure nothing else was wrong with him. About this time, Mr. Melaragno, Ludwig, Nick, and Omar came running from the truck, 200 yards down the road. For the next minute, I was just yelling out to see if everyone was out. I heard from everyone except Gonzo, because we had started wandering aimlessly after he got out.
Mario immediately ran to the truck, where his backpack was to get out his first aid kit, rope, and blanket. Ludwig did the same, while Omar and Nick started taking stuff out from the car. Rick had pushed himself out, and several boys were performing first aid on him, while I was with Gonzo. He was sitting down in the front seat of the truck, and I had to ask him 5 times if he was okay before he asked me to put a sling on his right arm. Ludwig was talking to the police officer, which had arrived literal within 1 minute. The crowd of bystanders was growing, but this didn’t slow us down. Rick was going into shock, and was treated for that. It was drizzling, and windy, so they immediately covered him with several sleeping bags and towels. The ambulance took nearly 20 minutes, though it seemed like an hour, to arrive. We were rapidly throwing everything from the Silverado into the truck, in hopes to follow the ambulance to the hospital. Rick and Gonzo went in the ambulance, as patients, and Ludwig and Mario went as “guardians”, since Mr. Gamez had to go with the police. We were ready to go when the ambulance arrived, but the police asked us to stay to take out the rest of the stuff from the car. There wasn’t anything else.
Mr. Gamez had to go with the police, since it apparently is a crime to crash your car in Mexico. The rest of us, Mr. Melaragno, Omar, Nick, and I followed him to the police substation a few miles up the road. There was another man, who had flipped his truck over within five miles from our accident. Since we had no idea where the hospital was, we waited for a taxi, which was taking him to the hospital, so we could follow. The ambulance had left about 9:40, and it was 10:30 before the taxi got there. Due to traffic from another accident (this one involving a semi), and the normal traffic in Monterrey, it was 11:30 before we got to the hospital. There was no parking anywhere close to the emergency area, so we parked fairly far away, and ran to the hospital.
We saw Gonzo and Mario at the door waiting, and Gonzo immediately said, in his sling, “I am okay. I just have to wear this sling for a month, but they are calling a specialist for Rick.” We were worried, to say the least. Ludwig then popped up and told us what happened also. He also told us that he had already called our Scoutmaster, Mario’s father, and the American Consulate, and the Boy Scout office in Monterrey. Ludwig had lived in Monterrey until January, when he joined our troop. Mr. Melaragno was relieved by this. Gonzo’s mother’s friend’s sister and brother in law was there to make sure everything was okay. A while later, Mario’s mother’s aunt and uncle arrived. My grandmother’s aunt and uncle also arrived quickly. Later, Mr. Gamez’s sister-in-law, and her daughter arrived. Even though all of these people were extremely helpful, and all offered us their house to stay in, the most helpful person was probably the one no one knew.
A young lady, who I later found out to be the Venturing Council Commissioner, a volunteer job in Mexico, arrived to help when she heard about it from Ludwig, through the scout office. She helped clear up the insurance, and helped make some calls, and then used her car to go and get us some hamburgers from Carl’s Jr. This entire time, Ludwig was making calls, and trying to get the insurance to work. We were also trying to get a hold of Mr. Gamez, who was still with the police. At about 1:30, he showed up, and immediately went to see Rick. Mr. Melaragno could not authorize any work, but the bare essentials. When Mr. Gamez got there, he told the doctor’s to go ahead and perform the surgery. Rick had broken two of his vertebrae in his neck. The insurance we had would not pay for the operation necessary. We had gotten some insurance from Sanborn’s Insurance in McAllen, but they would not support the hospital we were at. Rick was immobile. We could have moved him to another hospital, but it would have greatly endangered him.
Mr. Gamez had to go back to the police station to pay a fine. The insurance was also supposed to cover that, but they wouldn’t. The fine ended up being $700 (not pesos) and was paid by his extended family that lived in Monterrey. At about 8:15, those of us who were not immediate family of Rick decided to leave, even though Mr. Gamez was not back. Omar had family at the hospital, who stayed and watched over him. We took just enough money for the tolls, and left the rest of it with Omar. Mrs. Gamez was coming down on a bus, and due to arrive about 8:30. We later found out that Mr. Gamez finally arrived back at 8:30.
On the way back, the six of us discussed what had happened. We are all indebted to Ludwig, who had several phone cards, and the important phone numbers. We discussed, and planned a month worth of scout meetings talking about Emergency Preparedness, planning, first aid, and various other skills required for this. We ended up using about half of our gear that we had, without every taking a single step on the backpack. Because we had planned for over two months, we were ready for this accident. Planning is crucial.