The Day My Perspective Changed

It was a normal late morning, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the sky was blue. The wind carried a crisp spring air that seeped in from the crack in the window. As I looked out the glass, I gently pressed my hand on it, leaving behind fingerprints. I could see the individual crevices of each swirl from my finger imprinted in the fog that my breath left behind. The window was distinctly cold which sent a chill down my spine. The skyscrapers of the Buffalo, NY skyline engulfed around me from the fourth floor of the hotel. As I turned away from the window, I noticed my bags had been moved. I didn’t think much of it. I walked downstairs and found my parents along with my Grammie eating breakfast. As I sat down, I was handed a plate that was mounted with food already.
“Who’s plate is this?” I questioned, as I looked down at the giant plate.
“I got it for you,” my grandmother answered. “You have a big game in a couple hours and you need your energy.” I thanked her and started to eat, knowing I wouldn’t finish it all. After a couple minutes of trying, I was able to eat the majority of what was on my plate.
After breakfast, I went upstairs to get ready for hockey. As I looked at the clock I noticed I had to leave in twenty minutes. I quickly gathered my things while everyone else was also cleaning up and getting ready to leave. I placed all my equipment next to the hotel door, along with everyone else’s things.
“Are we all set?” I asked. It was a rhetorical question, everyone was already lined up at the door except for my Grammie. I watched as she emerged from around the corner with a twenty dollar bill.
“Wait!” she exclaimed, as she quickly walked towards the group of us gathered at the door. “This is for my phone payment for this month.” She extended her hand with the bill in it towards my mom.
“Mom, you don’t need to pay me for it,” my Mom said as she opened the door of the hotel room. Her tone was gentle but firm at the same time, almost like she was scolding a young child. I watched my mom shuffle across the room to grab some water, she turned toward me and handed me a water bottle. I turned around and started heading towards the door. All of a sudden, I watched in disbelief as my Grammie tripped. Her fall seemed slow, but at the same time very quick. I watched as her head and neck ricocheted back off of the solid wood table next to the doorway.
My ears were ringing, I felt distant from the situation. I couldn’t hear anything over the sound of the constant pinging noise in my head. My mind felt clouded and distracted, my thoughts spiraled into a tornado of confusion that engulfed my brain. Everytime I close my eyes I end up back in that hotel room, almost as if I shift into my past self. Constantly reliving that moment.
“LB! Call 911 right now. Explain the situation. Stay calm so they can understand you,” my Dad yells across the room as I watch both my parents rush to my Grammie’s side. I grab the phone quickly, I watch as my trembling hands struggle to dial the small amount of numbers.
“911, what is your emergency?” I freeze, everything seems so surreal. My Dad takes the phone from me, I was somewhat relieved I didn’t need to speak to the operator. For God sake, I was only thirteen. I was barely a teenager with my birthday only being two days ago. I obviously was taught how to call 911 if there was an emergency, but nothing prepares you for the adrenaline and emotions that flood your mind when you are trying to collect your thoughts. Realization strikes me hard, unexpectedly. Claustrophobia polluted the air I breathed like a thick fog that rolls through a summer night. I was breathing hard. It felt like my lungs were failing to gather the oxygen in the air although it surrounded me. I couldn’t look down much, blood pooled at my Grammie’s head.
“I will be okay,” she tells me as the paramedics load her onto the stretcher. My vision was blurry from crying, my red eyes were puffed out, and my breaths were shaky.
“Grab your bag and put it in the car LB,” my Dad says in a soft, choked up tone. I look at him with wide eyes. He slowly picks up my bag and starts down the hallway. I follow him, slowly but surely, dragging my feet.
I walked into the arena, silently and alone, with a fake smile plastered across my face. My thoughts were the only thing keeping me company, for my perspective of life had changed. Little did I know that this accident would change my family’s life forever, nothing would ever be the same as it was before.