Some of you know me on here.....most of you do not. I have been making a few hats and a lot of blocks and such for some good guys on here. Yesterday I was at the shop working on a few items for some COW members. I left the shop at 4. I was driving home the way I always do. I was thinking that I was very happy to have a few Items wrapped up for some people and then it happened. I was t-boned by a drunk driver. My truck was thrown sideways into a ditch and flipped twice. I was told many times as I climbed out of my truck that I should be dead. How surreal. I was more worried about the finish items I made for people that were scattered across a field....to the point I was looking for them. After all was said and done....I noticed that the side of my head was hurting. Turns out my head was thrown into the drivers side window. I had my trusty fedora on....(the hat in the thread "my fuzzy rabbit rebuild") It had slide to the left side of my head and absorbed a lot of the impact on the window. I asked my dad...who raced to get there....."Please find my hat!" He did. It was hardly affected at all....it had some nicks in the felt from the broken glass, the bash was smashed...and the ribbon was askew. After 2 minutes of fussing it was back and looks better than ever.
I can honestly say that that hat saved me numerous stitches. I guess I walked away from that crash with a small cut on my leg....and lump on my face and a few small cuts on my hands and nose. I am so thankful that God was watching over me........that I had my hat on.....on the most is that my sidekick (my 5 yr old little girl who goes everywhere with me) was not in the truck.....as a matter of fact...that no one was with me.
Turns out the guy was drunk and didnt even stop. He kept on going.....but they caught him. My truck is destroyed....my tools are bashed up beyond use. So Indy G, and Oak.....well...things got a little bashed up so I will have to start over....but dont worry......I have gotten a second chance...so I will get going on them again after I get all this BS taken care of with insurance and everything.
Sorry this is so long winded....I am just glad I am here...and have the chance to share how my fedora saved my face.....and who knows.....my life??
Jeez man some people shouldn't be allowed on the road. Looks like you had God on your side. Hope your doing ok, and btw i havent forgotten about that block still researching, but that can wait. Another reason to wear a fedora then. Seriously though close call and hope you and your family are doing ok.
In the wise word of Sallah "I'm so pleased your not dead!"
Wow! Oh man Ohio, no need to apologize for being long winded, I'm just glad you're ok and are still here to be able to share this life story. I'm sure that hat will have a special place in your home when not being worn.
Tools, blocks & trucks can be replaces but not folks. Your Dad must have been super happy that you were ok, & helped find your hat. I presume you found all your scattered items too.
I'm still in a state of "wow" that you made it out with minor scrapes & bumps. You sure were being protected. Hope you're doing well today & with your family. Take care.
Thanks guys.....I appreciate it. I did indeed go to the hospital and had x rays and ct scans and all that. I do have a tender shoulder. Other than that I am happy to be able to hug my family and to be able to get on hear. I live in Northwest Ohio near toledo. You are right......those tools can be replaced..the truck can....but I couldnt. My wife made out there in record time and she is a RN, and so is my sister. It was nice to see familar faces among all the EMS, Fireman, and cops. They were all very professional and very nice. They kept me safe and warm until my wife got there and they took me to the er and everything came back great.
The hat will have a very special place in the house and my wife has a new foundness of fedoras. She use to poke a little fun at me about them but not anymore. As a matter a fact she asked if she could get me a few more hat bodies so I could keep my mind and hands busy for the next few days. She knows I have a very hard time sitting still.
Thank you all...and I am so glad I am here and get to be with my family at home and on here.
I'm glade you went to the ER. I been to many MVA where people sore they were fine when my self and others would advise them to go and didn't. Only later to die at home because of something hidden. Fire and EMS can only check so much on scene. I'm glade your alright.
Yikes, the cab of your truck looks awful! So glad you're okay. I'm also glad they were able to catch that drunk hit-and-run driver. Definitely don't need that person on the road.
From my experience the people on this forum are really a great group of people so I am very glad to see that you are in good health after that. Health and happiness to you and yours.
I'm very glad that you made it through it relatively unhurt, and that your daughter wasn't with you. I know that even if my daughter made it through without a scratch it would worry me to death so that's one thing you didn't have to worry about.
Thank God you are alright, that's all that matters Ohio. Your guardian angel was certainly with you that day and did a great job of keeping you safe. I'm glad they caught the other driver too because more often than not the drunk person suffers no injuries and the innocent driver takes a beating...I'm just really happy you were able to walk away from it.
First fantastic you are alright - I always find it amazing looking at photos like this and then hearing that someone walked away from it. You are lucky indeed - I am also amazed how something as simple and flimsy looking as a fedora can actually provide protection!
Wow, glad you're ok, quite a shake up I know, fairly recently I ran into a pedestrian that was crossing the highway in the dark without a crosswalk. I couldn't see him since he walked out from behind another car in the median with headlights pointed my direction. It was a horrible feeling I can't describe, I'm glad you came out all right considering the serious circumstance and what could have been the result.
OMG.....i didn't read this till now. matt, buddy, i could care less about the new block when you've gone through this trauma. it just scares me how i can correspond with someone one day and the next day, he/she could be gone. i've buried too many friends and family over the last couple of years and mortality really hits home to an individual.
i am extremely thankful to the stars and all the gods that you are all right. i am happy that you can still go home and be with your family and i'm sure they feel the same. i've gotten to know you quite well during our collaborations and i hold you as one of the dear friends i have on this forum. i hope you heal up soon my friend.....the time that you have during your recovery, fill it with your friends and family and cherish the fact that you've made these bonds over your lifetime....don't worry about anything.....your friends and family can worry for you if they want.
...And this is why we should never travel without our fedoras.
I am very happy to see that you walked out of your truck with no major injuries. God certainly was with you that night. Last year my sisters were in an accident where an elderly man (sometimes that can be as bad as a drunk driver...seriously) hit the car and they rolled over about four or five times, landing half a block away. They both walked out with only cuts and scrapes. The old man didn't stop. I ended up hunting him down and had him arrested. Looking at your photos, I though the same thing I ddi when I drove up to my sisters' accident: they should be dead. Be thankful and make sure to tell your family you love them when you leave the house. Hope you recover from whatever injusries you did sustain.
WOW! That is an amazing story. You are a very blessed man and I'd say that's one lucky hat you were wearing. Happy to read that you walked away from such a horrible accident with only minor injuries.
Can't add much that hasn't already been said - and said WELL, with sincerity - here in this thread... but wanted to add my voice to the chorus:
Glad you're okay, my friend.
Hope you're feeling in tip-top condition soon.
Best Wishes.
Mitch
Man.... that was way beyond the realm of fender benders. Amazing you got out of there with nothing more serious than a few cuts and bruises
Glad to hear you're ok Ohio. Inever would have thought a hat could be of much protection, but it seems it saved you frome some nasty and potentialy dangerous cuts
Take the time you need to recover fully and be nice to that hat, as it has done you great service allready.
Well, an Akubra Federation saved Fedora's skull when a garage door fell on him many years ago. Why not this?
VERY pleased you walked away from this. Bear in mind, this kind of stunt work is a VERY expensive hobby, so let's not continue down this road.
Seriously, just look at this (after all the shock wears off) as one of those totally worthless life experiences, make note NOT to experience it again, and move on. There ARE easier ways to distress a felt hat.
I am overwhelmed by the support and concern from you all. I have never met one of you in person...but feel like we are all old friends. This site has been a great place for me to learn, relax, and laugh a lot. You are all stand up and great people. I would love to meet you all someday and just have a heck of a time talking about hats, indy or whatever.
I have a new outlook on life and there will be some changes...nothing major...but I have been the type to work rather than play...Being self employed I would always send my Wife and kids on vacation while I worked to pay for that and the other stuff. Not anymore. I going and doing something fun with my family...and with friends. I hope there is a Indy Summit or some kind of gathering so I can meet most if not all of you.
Thanks again and what a great bunch of guys,
OHIO
PS...changing my avatar
PSS....Oak it was a 97 ford F 150
Michaelson wrote:There ARE easier ways to distress a felt hat.
Never mind that in the process you also end up distressing your jacket, your shirt, your underpants, your whole body and all of your family and friends.
Wow Ohio, what a story. Praise God for watching over you and protecting you when you had that accident. The man who t-boned you will be held accountable by God for what he did. I am just glad you are alright. I guess I need to wear my Fedora more often in a vehicle. Spend time with your family and friends, you just never know what is going to happen the next day in life. Life is way too short. Maybe take a nice vacation once the weather gets a little better and after you heal up from this accident. Take Care and just glad you are alive to tell this amazing story.
Whoa, so glad you're ok!!! Heal well and fast. Glad to hear the tale of the fedora saving your skin. I've walked into so many things that my Fedora has taken the brunt of, I feel like Jango Fett.
Just thank the stars your still walkin' and talkin'. Just make sure you don't have a concussion and be careful concussions are no joke. And i agree with everyone here, and maybe hate it more so. Being in law enforcement, drunk driving is a huge pet peave of mine, and to me it defies all logic.
Canyon you're right, some people shouldn't be allowed on the road.
Again just thank the heavens above. And it a good #### thing you were in a pickup truck and not a small car.
DR Ulloa wrote:...And this is why we should never travel without our fedoras.
I am very happy to see that you walked out of your truck with no major injuries. God certainly was with you that night. Last year my sisters were in an accident where an elderly man (sometimes that can be as bad as a drunk driver...seriously) hit the car and they rolled over about four or five times, landing half a block away. They both walked out with only cuts and scrapes. The old man didn't stop. I ended up hunting him down and had him arrested. Looking at your photos, I though the same thing I ddi when I drove up to my sisters' accident: they should be dead. Be thankful and make sure to tell your family you love them when you leave the house. Hope you recover from whatever injusries you did sustain.
Dave
I know from Central Florida driving experience that senile drivers are more frequent than drunk ones. I've seen old ladies going down busy highways taking curlers out of their hair, oblivious to the traffic pounding down on them.
Now that we know everything is all right, when first reading the title, did anyone else get this image of Steve, replete in cape and Raven Bar bash fedora, leaping through a window to Ohio's rescue?
crismans wrote:Now that we know everything is all right, when first reading the title, did anyone else get this image of Steve, replete in cape and Raven Bar bash fedora, leaping through a window to Ohio's rescue?
Glad to hear you are okay. Kind of makes you think - life can be really short. We never know how long we've got. Again, I'm glad to hear you are doing well.
DR Ulloa wrote:...And this is why we should never travel without our fedoras.
I am very happy to see that you walked out of your truck with no major injuries. God certainly was with you that night. Last year my sisters were in an accident where an elderly man (sometimes that can be as bad as a drunk driver...seriously) hit the car and they rolled over about four or five times, landing half a block away. They both walked out with only cuts and scrapes. The old man didn't stop. I ended up hunting him down and had him arrested. Looking at your photos, I though the same thing I ddi when I drove up to my sisters' accident: they should be dead. Be thankful and make sure to tell your family you love them when you leave the house. Hope you recover from whatever injusries you did sustain.
Dave
I know from Central Florida driving experience that senile drivers are more frequent than drunk ones. I've seen old ladies going down busy highways taking curlers out of their hair, oblivious to the traffic pounding down on them.
Randy
You know when people say "South Florida is where people go to die?" Well, its true. Now, I'm not saying that all elderly men and women are terrible drivers. But, age adds on to the equation. Age an already bad driver, and God knows there are bad drivers here in Miami (in fact we were voted worst drviers in the country last year), and you have a terrible driver. I've driven behind people that I swore had to be drunk only to pass the, and see that it was a little old lady.
Looks like you had God on your side. Hope your doing ok, and btw i havent forgotten about that block still researching, but that can wait. Another reason to wear a fedora then. Seriously though close call and hope you and your family are doing ok.
Oh man Ohio, no need to apologize for being long winded, I'm just glad you're ok and are still here to be able to share this life story. 
I'm sure that hat will have a special place in your home when not being worn.
Hope you're doing well today & with your family. Take care. 
