Well, I have not updated this website for quite sometime. On May 12, 2006, my daughter Zoe and myself were involved in an auto accident. I was driving my favorite red 1964 Corvette convertible. An intoxicated driver with no car insurance failed to yield the right-of-way , drove through a stop sign and entered the freeway. First he hit my car, and then pushed me into oncoming traffic, when anpther car hit us and landed ontop of my car. Zoe was knocked unconsious and substained head trama. She was airlifted to a children's hospital in Tacome, WA. Even though we were wearing seatbelts, my face was thrust into the steering wheel. I lost part of my jaw and four teeth. Somehow a battery exploded and covered part of my face and got into my eyes.

I am thankful that Zoe does not remember the incident. However, I was conscious the entire time.

When the cars finally stopped moving, I knew that I was alive, but pretty beat up. I looked over to Zoe, and she was not moving. She was crushed into her seat by the car door. I hugged her, and then kissed her on the cheek, and said that I would take care of her. My body was bruised, my face was bleeding, and my center teeth were now placed into the roof of my mouth.

I saw the yellow Mustang on the front end of my now demolished Corvette. I feared that one of the cars could combust. I saw people helping to push the Mustang off of my car. I unbuckled my seatbelt, and jumped over what used to be my car's windshield. As I helped to push the yellow Mustang off of my car, I was covered in battery acid. Battery acid got into my eyes and parts of my face and arms. Yes it was painful, but I am pretty damn tough.

After helping push the car off of my car, I got back into what was left of my car. I put my arms around Zoe to reassure her that I would take care of her. She was still seemingly life-less. I very calmly talked about what we could have for dinner. Tortillini, pizza, Chinese? Or maybe go to the lake? I asked her if she would like to go rent a movie.

I told her how much that I loved her. I hugged her and held her until the paramedics started helping us. She started crying, and then I knew that she was still alive. I wasn't concerned about myself or the car, and I focused all of my energy on Zoe. Looks like it worked. As was being loaded into the ambulance, I shouted out to Zoe to hang in there and that I love her.


DAILY WORLD / KEVIN HONG State Patrol troopers look over a yellow Ford Mustang and a red Corvette involved in a crash at Highway 12 and Schouweiler Road late Friday afternoon. A third vehicle, a gray Mitsubishi Eclipse, was also involved in the crash that closed an eastbound lane for five hours.

ELMA - A "pretty spectacular" three-car collision seriously injured an 1 1-year-old girl and 41-year-old man, both from Aberdeen, when their 1964 Corvette convertible was struck twice on Highway 12 and ended up underneath a Ford Mustang Friday, State Patrol Sgt. Mike Erickson said.

Zoe Whorton was airlifted to Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma with a head injury. She was in critical condition Friday night. Nathan Whorton, who troopers believe is Zoe's father, sustained eye injuries, facial cuts and burns. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where he was still in the emergency room being evaluated at press time.

The accident occurred at 4:53 p.m. when a 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse, driven by Ronald Harper, 39, of Elma, was southbound on Schouweiler Road near Elma and attempted to turn left to go east on Highway 12.

Harper failed to yield the right of way and collided with the Corvette that was traveling west on Highway 12, troopers say.

"The cars rotated across to the eastbound lanes and the Mustang (which was traveling east) hit the Mitsubishi and then the Corvette and ended up on top of the Corvette," Sgt. Erickson said. "Passersby stopped and rolled the Mustang to gain access to the passengers in the Corvette.

"The Elma Fire Department, Fire District 5 and the Grays Harbor Sheriff's Office also responded.

The impact of the collision was severe, as was evidenced by the debris strewn across the intersection and eastbound lanes of the highway. A battery from one car, presumably the Corvette, was about 20 feet away in the grass on the side of the road. Harper and his passenger, Cinderella Englund, 54, of Elma, were taken to Grays Harbor Community Hospital in Aberdeen with neck and back injuries. Englund was in satisfactory condition Friday night. Harper was stabilized and transferred, but federal privacy laws prevent the hospital saying where he was transferred to. John Borden, 67, of Elma, who was driving the 2003 Ford Mustang convertible, was uninjured.

All three cars were a total loss.

The right eastbound lane was closed for about five hours while four troopers investigated the accident. Charges are pending against Harper, the State Patrol said.

















So, first I was taken to Mark Reed Hospital in McCleary for initial evaluation, then I was transfered to Harborview in Seattle by ambulence. No copter ride for me. Harborview is a VERY scary place! I was critical care unit but I pretty much just laid there, I knew I was hurt but I would live. I can't say the same for others nearby, lots of screaming and crying... and doctors/nurses saying that their loved one/friend didn't make it.

Eventually someone came to remove the two teeth that were lodged in the roof of my mouth. I must have dosed off from time to time, but I really didn't go to sleep until around 5:00 or 6:00 AM. I was in the hospital for three days. I remember that my sister, Dad and Angela, Becky's siter Candy came to visit me. When I was released, we stopped to see Zoe in Tacoma, she was still mostly out of it She was pretty bruised up and had some stiches on her scalp.

Not long after returning home, my eyes were stiched closed to help them heal, they were closed for nearly two months, (except for a very small corner) and I was basically legally blind for six months. Over time my face healed. All of this didn't help in my alcoholism recovery, and sure enough I fell off. This time I became very ill, and developed an ulcer and liver disease. I spent three days in the hospital to help replace blood and fluids, I had now gone too far. I had to stop, because I wasn't given more than a year or two at my current rate. I was very bloated and in a lot of pain. I stayed at home for about 1 1/2 months to recover. Well I didn't come this far to let alcohol kill me, and I have had a drop in over months. I now feel healthier than I had in about ten years.

In June 2007, I had a cornea transplant. I had jaw surgery in April 2007 to replace the part that I lost, so I could eventually have implants installed. In January 2008, I had the titanium anchor rods installed, and I should have new teeth around June 2008. My bottom four center teeth had the enamel destroyed, so I wiil get them new veneers, as well as whiten the other teeth...I'll have a better than new smile.

I have been driving pretty much full time since the first of 2008. Zoe made a quick and full recovery. I am nearly there, at least as well as I am going to be.

I may add some more to this later, but there is most of the story.


Me: March 2008