Just another day in the 100 degree Fahrenheit blazing hot Arizona sun, with nothing to do. “I can’t stand this anymore bro, let’s go to the gym!” screamed my best friend Sam. We hopped into my Nissan Altima and swerved off. The steering wheel began to melt my hands as we drove to Mountainside Fitness. We walked in so eager to lift, handed the desk attendant our key swabs, then walked over to the machines. The first machine we reached was the Bench Press. Thirty five pound weights each side to start us off. Too easy! Forty fives we put up still no struggles. It was Sam’s turn; I added 2 more ten pound plates to each side. “Ready? Go! 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10! Nice!” I was so confident in myself when it was my turn to lift, that I denied the spot Sam had offered me. “1……..2…………….3……………” I stopped, breathing heavily; thinking to myself Sam made this look too easy. I have to finish, “4……….5………. POP!” On the way up from the last rep, I heard a loud popping sound coming from my right clavicle!

“Bye mom, Love you!” “Bye honey, have a good day at school, be safe!” said my mother. I loved riding my DK Baby Blue General Lee to school every day. I plugged in my skull candy head phones, blasting full volume was Right Now by Akon as I treaded my way down the road. There was a red light, with no cross road coming up to the four way intersection on Higley And Riggs. I waited patiently for my time to go. Foot on the pedals, cranking my way through the yellow lines. I passed the median, and next to it was a car waiting to turn left in stationary position. There was no car in the middle lane next to it that I could see. Lastly there was one car about to turn in the right lane stopped also. As I passed the headlights of the first car I glanced quickly at the light that appeared to be green. I had seen correctly, I had to get out of the road now! My head was turned for only one half of a second, next thing I see is a bright white light flashing in my eyes. I heard a loud ringing sound in my ear; as if someone had thrown a stun grenade or flash bang at me like a game of Call of duty. I could see clearly after a few seconds, immediately I got up and grabbed my blue broken bike back across the blistering hot blacktop. Mrs. Hamilton from Payne Jr. High who had seen the whole thing screamed “What are you doing? Lay back down on the road, you’re not okay!” I wanted to go home more than anything else in the world. But I laid down anyways. Complete and utter chaos broke loose, as the man who struck me in the mini pick-up truck walked up to me. He asked me if I was a football player. I wondered why in the hell he had asked me such a random question. Before I could even answer the question he said “Because if you could take a hit from a car, you could take a hit from any of those other 100 lb. kids out there!” Lying on the ground dazed and confused, I heard sirens. Police, EMT, Fire fighters gathered around me, cutting off my clothes, searching for abrasions, and taking my vital signs. Nothing on my body hurt me, until my mother ran up to the scene scream bloody murder. The pain hit me; I started bawling along with my mom. “Yes, ouch, that hurts, right there, my arm, my shoulder, my neck, my collar bone, it all hurts!” I cried. Riding on the stretcher toward the Emergency vehicle, IV’s and bandages filled my arms. One of the paramedics had told my Mom I had to go to the Trauma Center and the only way to get there is to fly In a helicopter. I was as scared as I passed my 8th grade friends on the busses surrounding the helicopter that landed in the middle of the intersection. The helicopter ride was very loud, and shaken up. I fell asleep overdosed on pain killers as we flew far, far away. I awoke to doctors doing tests and x-raying my body from head to toe. The nurse said I was lucky to escape death with only a broken clavicle, arm and a few scratches. My brain was in perfect condition, and fully functioning, even though I was not wearing a helmet during the accident. I then knew from that point on in my life that an angel was certainly watching out for me.

It was too much weight, I couldn’t finish my repetitions! “Saaammmy boyeeeee!” I mumbled. He shifted quickly and re-racked the bar with ease. I took off my shirt and realized my right clavicle was out of place. Rotating my arm in circles, my clavicle finally popped back into place. My bones hurt so good! Smiling I asked Sam “What is the next exercise?” He replied “That’s enough for today man; let’s go home, I will drive your car.” I said back to him “No sir it’s alright I can still drive, I’m ambidextrous.”