Several weeks ago, our children were involved in a car accident at Redman and Estaugh Avenues in Haddonfield. They were struck by a pick-up truck that failed to obey a stop sign, resulting in their Volvo being thrust into the opposite curb and flipped on its side. Public safety officials, including police, fire, and ambulance from Haddonfield, Haddon Heights, and Westmont arrived quickly at the scene. It required the “jaws of life” to cut off the roof in order to extricate the children from the car.
Needless to say, it is a parent’s worst nightmare to come upon such a scene. It was a harrowing experience, of which the children still show residual effects. The silver lining to the story was the community response.
Public safety officials figured especially prominent in this response. They demonstrated both consummate professionalism and compassion. They took control of a horrible situation and brought order out of chaos. They were also personally sensitive to those affected that were at the scene. Our families and children have always had an abiding and proud respect for our public officials, which is now joined by our sincere affection.
This official response was complemented by an unofficial response. Local residents, many of whom we did not know, poured out of their nearby homes to offer help and support. This continued for days afterward with calls and visits from neighbors and many other concerned people. School and borough officials called to express their concern and assistance. The genuine care shown by all buoyed us through the days following the accident, and reminded us that we were not alone or forgotten.
This experience was for us a lesson in the character of our community. Our small borough has more than its share of issues, including open space, municipal services, and local tax burden, to name only a few. These are real issues about which residents rightly have strong feelings, often resulting in opposing, if not stridently conflicting, positions. As we collaborate to address these issues, let us not lose sight of the bonds of the shared community that brings us together, that unite us, and that provide common ground for lives shared in mutual industry, concern, and support. Through the care accident, we were the beneficiaries of this community, which has only confirmed our appreciation for quality of life to which each of us contributes.
Thanks to all of those, identified and unidentified, who responded to our need.
The Connell family, the Giannotti family, and the Van Devort family
