A couple of weeks back, you’d probably notice this FB status…
A few extended their concerns asking what happened and if we’re okay. Yes we are. Praise God!
I know, either you don’t care or it’s not your concern, but I opt to share this story to my readers and at the same time use this opportunity to release emotional and mental chaos around my head.
Right after what happened, I can hear the loud screeching sound of our bus.
Right after what happened, I felt an abnormal pain at the back of my head down to my shoulders…
I guess these were traumas.
So, here’s what happened.
We left Abu Dhabi early in the morning after our Area/SC Planning 2020 to catch up the second bus at 5:30 AM.
At around 6:00 AM, I found myself uneasy, my head and neck having a stiff neck because of my sitting position… and then a few minutes later, I think – I fell asleep. And then . . .
I heard the screeching… a lady shouting & asking, please please help, who knows how to drive, who knows how to drive??? We we’re awaken.
Our driver steps on the emergency brake. Slowly dragged our bus to the side.
On my thoughts, Ohhh no! We’re going to have an accident!!! And a quick prayer on my head, while I also thought of “brace for impact” setting my hands on both ends of the seats in our front.
And then it halted! Our bus stopped on the side of the highway of Sheikh Zayed Road.
Our driver is having a seizure. But he still managed to press the brake and maneuver to the side. He had presence of mind – but for me an angel came in. God’s mantle of protection was at hand! This is a miracle!
I hear panic…
A lady wanted to jump out of the bus – – – she has a flight to catch up.
People wanted to break the glass and start going out, but Kokobear shouted loudly NO ONE WILL GO OUT! WE ARE SAFER INSIDE HERE than outside. It was still a bit dark,,, somehow some of them calm down a little.
People started calling their bosses and loved ones, explaining what happened.
We struggle to call the emergency line. The lady calling was panicking – – – she can’t explain clearly as she starts to be emotional. Kokobear shouted, who knows how to speak Arabic? take the phone… another lady in abaya took it. Still we were struggling to get hold of the exact venue…
And then, an arab guy took the phone and described our location. Somehow it cleared it out.
We look around and found a signage saying that we are 20 something to Dubai Parks and Resorts.
Our fellow passengers on the other hand, started helping our driver. He was asked to lie down in the middle of our bus, opened his shirt and that arabic guy lifted his legs.
He was crying, shouting some inaudible words, I feel sad, I was worried… I think both a cry of sorry and a cry for pain. We asked him to drink a water.
30 minutes or so has gone, I feel the emergency/rescue/EMT team came a little late. But when they came, the bus door isn’t open still.
The Kabayan EMT asked what happened, we exclaimed, he has a seizure. He also asked if anyone is hurt after what happened. Thank God we’re all ok.
They took our driver out through his driver’s window. A small window on the driver’s seat. The men slowly lifted him and asking the EMT team and police to support his hips. Right at that moment, he was attacked again… I saw him being put into the moving bed and his eyes looking afar. :( an eyes blank. The team then moved him to the ambulance. As his bed was moving, I followed it and prayed the Lord’s prayer.
Father, keep him safe and make his family strong.
My heart lightens up thinking that he will now be taken cared of. And then, back to our situation on the other hand, I started to worry that the oxygen level inside the bus might go down, thankfully the window is open for us to still have enough air to breath… although the AC is till working.
The rescue team took a few more minutes to decide how are they going to take us out.
The kabayan lady who cried earlier, suggested to the police to call another bus and ask the driver to move our bus. At the same time – he knows which button to push for the door.
We waited.
The police patrols surrounds us.
And then 2 buses came. One stopped and the driver went inside though the same window where our driver went out. He entered and called someone. Reporting if we were okay and of how many are inside the bus. He also asked if there are any injured.
He moved & adjusted our bus – farther from the gutter to which our bus bumped into… pushed the button but the door won’t open. He was instructed by someone over the phone to push the emergency button of the front door but still didn’t work.
I can hear some people saying – – – they might break the glass soon.
But the driver moved to the middle and push some of the buttons.
PRAISE GOD! It opened! :D
I breathe deeply and praise God!
Quickly, all of us one by one get off from our bus.
Some stopped for a while, taking pictures.
We transferred to the same bus that the driver who opened us was driving.
We filled that bus and a lot of the passengers we’re curious…
We were a little bit sorry for them, maybe some might be late because they stopped for us. But THANKS to them, their time has saved us.
The bus left and we arrived in Battuta after 15-20 minutes. It was around 8:15 AM when we reached IBN.
From that experience, what’s left was the thoughts about our driver. His presence of mind, God’s angels. God’s mantle of protection.
Lord, thank you for keeping me, Kokobear and the rest of the passengers safe. May you protect and heal our driver. If one day, I will meet him again, I’ll definitely shake his hands and wish him well. Heal him Oh God. In Jesus name, Amen.
As for me, I told my family. Koko called Nonong.
Today, I recall it as if it was only yesterday.
Today, I continue to offer my prayers. Also to the ate/kabayan lady who saw the actual moment in that early morning. If I had a little bit of trauma… how much more she has. Lord, heal her. Amen.
For all of this Lord, THANK YOU!
God bless us all!
