The night I witnessed a death and almost died

Grad night is suppose to be fun. The night were you let loose and celebrate your accomplishments. A memorable night.

For me it was quite an experience and certainly memorable to write about it 13 years later. I witnessed someone dying and I myself almost died.

We did the typical thing all graduates do for the ceremony. We got a group of close friends together, rented a limo, dressed to impress, got alcohol and began drinking excessively. I think I may have been the only one that did the excessive drinking since I ended up in the hospital later that evening.

Let me tell you how we witnessed someone die that evening.

It was a sunny summer evening and we had just gotten into our limo and went straight to the local liquor store. After purchasing our booze and before entering back into our limo we heard a loud bang. We looked over and to our surprise we witnessed a motorcycle tumbling towards us with no one on it.

In the near distance we notice the driver helplessly wrapped around a light pole. There was some people who were waiting for the bus that had attended the presumed injured young man.

Not thinking much of it. We piled into our limo to begin our adventure over to the ceremonies. Only later to find out in the local newspaper that the person that had hit the pole had died instantly when colliding with the light pole.

Now let's get into how I almost died that night.

It is about an hour drive over to the venue from the suburbs where we lived. After witnessing the motorcycle crash, well it was time to hit the bottle. Crown Royal to be precise. I thought heck I just finished school, all the pressure is gone, time to do what any student at that stage would do. Drink my face off.

Mixing the alcohol I thought was not an option and was only for those students who lacked hair down there. So "on the rocks" I said, About a quarter of the way down this 1.25 liter bottle of Crown Royal things started to blur, and then it was lights out for me.

Waking up completely sober at home, and here comes the most embarrassing part, I don't think I have told too many people in fact I know of a handful of people that I had said this to, so here it goes. If you have ever had this happen to you than you know, and if you haven't I hope this never does.

After I woke up I looked down and low and behold I was wearing a diaper. I thought to myself boy this is strange, and it sure fits snug. I mean I was turning 18 years old can you blame me? Of course. I think I was the only one, actually I know I was the only one in my grad that this happened to.

I can't believe I just shared this. The purpose is when you feel vulnerable that is what makes it real and relatable.

Lets rewind back to the evening.

So after I blacked out, Of course embarrassing my friend who I took out as a date for that night since neither of us had anyone to take to the ceremony. I was carried into the venue by two of my friends, literally I seen the pictures of the group shots of my friends holding me with my eyes half shut.

The part I don't understand is how I was let in, in the condition I was in. Well it didn't last long. About 20 minutes in, so I was told, everything in my stomach started to come out.

My good friend brought me into the bathroom. Now I am not sure which came first the call to my mom or to the hospital. But either way both showed up, and I wasn't a skinny guy back then so lifting my limp body was not easy for the paramedics.

I was rushed to the nearby hospital of which I actually talked about in my previous post. This is where I was confused as to how they had information on me. This is how, my stomach was pumped due to having alcohol poisoning.

Luckily I don't remember anything.When I woke up the next day I actually felt pretty good, not even hungover.

Did I learn anything from that experience? Well I never drank Crown Royal ever again. However it did not change my attitude towards drinking for a long time. Why not? An event so dramatic you think would do it. Was it because I was young? Was it because I blacked out and had no recollection?

All of those are good questions to consider, unfortunately it takes more than an event like the one I went through to change your perception on things. I am not talking about will power. I am talking about your rationalization and your awareness with whatever it is you are wanting to stop doing.

This I will touch on another post.

What you choose to do with this information is up to you.

To be continued....