My Godson Was Only Three When He Went to Heaven
Accidents are the leading cause of death in children aged 1–4 in America.
It was an extremely stressful day at work the accident happened. And on top of that, I wasn’t feeling so hot being 7 months pregnant. I needed to leave at 2:30pm to take my daughter to have her epilepsy medicine level taken if I had any chance of being on time. And as usual, when you’re in a hurry, shit happens. I knew I had to get tellers drawer counts done, my vault drawer count done and a shipment of $250,000.00 that needed to be counted. On top of that, I had to tell one of my tellers she would not be working under me after today, that I was transferring her out. She would no longer question Theresa’s authority in front of me or my staff.
I grabbed my assistant. Theresa and I were the best of friends inside and outside of work. She was my only best friend. We pretty much were like peas and carrots. She had gotten married last year and I was her maid of honor. Later that year she had a baby boy with her new husband and I was his Godmother.
“OK girl. Here’s what has to be done. I need to be out of here at 2:30pm. I need you to step in and get these drawers counted and I’ll do the shipment. Here’s my keys, I’ll call Rita in after I count her out and then I’m done! You got this, love ya adios!” I laughed with her.
“No prob boss! I’ll get it done and call me when you get back from the drs.” She replied. Her kids were like mine and mine like hers.
At exactly 2:30pm, I walked out the back door lit a cigarette and dragged on it like it was a joint. Awhhh relief. I went to the sitters picked up my girls and headed to the drs. Both of the girls were really happy arguing about who was going to tell me about their day. I just love them so! They are my world!
I glanced at my watch, it was 4pm as I pulled into the parking lot. I looked at my cellphone really quick and shut it off. I got the girls out of the car and checked into the office. I went and sat down and the girls played with the toys till we finally got called in.
Dr. Jackie must have been having a shitty day too because she wasn’t her usual fire engine red hair self. We made small talk, I told her no seizure activity and no other anything else and that was it. The nurse came in, took Jess’s blood and we were on our way home.
I decided to stop and see my parents as it was only a 20 minute drive away. We stayed for dinner and the girls were getting tired and I wrapped them up and headed home.
I don’t know why I never turned my phone on again. Back then, we had landlines still and I guess I just forgot. The heat blasted me in the face when I walked in the front door and I went and cranked up the ac when I heard the beeps from the phone going crazy.
The answering machine was as busy as I have ever seen it. I broke out in a sweat and started freaking out panicking about what could possibly be going on. The girls started picking at each other, I thought I’d throw up right there and hit the play button.
“Patti, it’s Renee. Call me as soon as you get this.” That blew me away! My boss never called me at home. Never. I hit the button again.
“Patti, this is Officer Rob Smith from downtown, please call me as soon as you get this.” That was weird. Rob was a friend of mine I met at the bank I was working at. We became best friends after our branch got robbed the summer before. I hit the button again. It was a lady that I worked with, with the same message.
This went on for 16 more calls, all various friends or co-workers.
I stopped right there grabbed my cellphone and turned it on. There were 22 calls on there. Wtf was going on.
The girls were getting feisty and I stopped to put them to bed. My head started hurting from the stress. I lit another cigarette and picked up the phone and called Pat.
“Hey, it’s me. I got your message and about 30 others. WHAT is going on?” I asked.
“Are you home?” She asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
“I’m coming over. Don’t call anyone. Don’t go out. I’m on my way,” she replied. I could hear the panic in her voice. I hung up on her.
Fifteen minutes later, she was sitting on my couch.
“Something has happened with Theresa. It’s Olajujuan. Brett found him face down in their pool…”
“Wait…what??? Lajie pool face down…????” I couldn’t breathe.
“Pat…Lajie??? Brett???? What the fuck happened???”
She proceeded to tell me that Theresa’s husband had put her daughter Emmy in the jeep and put Lajie in his car seat and strapped him in and then went back inside to go get Louis. He stayed by the back door yelling for Louis who eventually came down and they went and got ready to leave when Brett turned to check on the baby and found he wasn’t there. He looked over at Emmy who had earbuds in her ear and he started screaming about the baby. She had no clue what happened.
Brett said he ran to the pool and looked but he wasn’t in there. He then ran back inside and scoured the house but Lajie wasn’t there.
You have to understand that even though he was only 3 and a half, Lajie was a big boy. Everyone thought he was at least 6.
Brett ran back outside and looked in the pool this time going up on the deck to get a better look.
Olajujuan was on the bottom face down. Brett dove in and pulled him out. No pulse not breathing started CPR till EMS came. He’s on life support. It’s not looking good.
“I need to go see them, Theresa needs me.”
“Call when you get there. I got the girls. I’m so sorry Patti.”
“He’s my Godson. She’s like my sister. Omg Pat. I got to go.”
I stayed all night at the ICU. Immediate family came and we all just were in shock. Lajie had every kind of tube sticking in him that I’d ever seen. His head and face were wrapped in gauze with a break through hint of blood on his forehead. His chest looked so small rising up and down with each breath the vent delivered. Brett was sedated by the hospital. I’ve never seen fear and sadness as I saw in that man that night. I’ll never forget it. Ever.
Specialists were called. MRI’s and CT scans. Neurologists in and out. Pulmonologists in and out. Respiratory therapists. The news was the same. It was too late. He was gone.
I didn’t want to be there when Brett and Theresa said goodbye. How could I honestly be selfish enough to say goodbye when my son in my belly was still alive and well and would be here soon enough for them to see?
It was raining the day we said goodbye. It was even like a torrential downpour with the added tears we all had. Lajie who was such a big boy looked so tiny in his coffin. He had a little white tuxedo on. Emmy and Louis had matching white outfits on. Theresa and Brett wore black. Theresa was sedated at the funeral.
It didn’t seem real she would say later. It was like a bad horrible dream. I can’t even fathom how she felt. I can’t even fathom how other mothers feel that have been through giving birth to a healthy baby, only to end up giving them back later.
2 months later.
My son came screaming into the world via c-section 2 months later. I was so happy to have him healthy and be able to hold him with the ray of sunshine he gave me.
Theresa called me later that day. She wanted to come but said she just couldn’t. I told her I understood. I asked her to be his Godmother and she accepted graciously. I promised her I would hold off the christening as long as she needed me too. And then I asked her if it would be ok to have my son’s middle name be Lajie.
It was later determined that somehow Lajie got out of his car seat and got the ladder to pull down from the deck. When he climbed up he stumbled and fell and split his head open knocking him unconscious and causing him to fall back in the pool. It was a horrible accident.
A month later, Brett took an axe to the pool, it is no more.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission there were 397 fatal drownings a year in 2016–2018 in children between 1 and 4 years old. In 2021 drownings remain high on the list of deaths due to the fact that Covid has caused many parents to not be able to sign their kids up for these life saving lessons.
The web site states:
‘With fewer children attending swimming lessons during the past year, it is critical to refresh these and others the life-saving skills, while practicing increased vigilance both anywhere children are swimming and during non-swim times as well.’
Continued: ‘While the report shows that number of pool-or spa-related, hospital emergency department-treated, nonfatal drowning injuries decreased from 2019 (6,300 injuries) to 2020 (5,800 injuries), CPSC advises that the changes are not statistically significant. From 2018 to 2020, 78 percent of nonfatal drowning injuries occurred among children younger than five years old. The lower number of drownings is likely the result of limitations on summer activities – including group or public swimming – due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They recommend: learning CPR. Teaching your child how to float/swim. If you own a pool use safety measures such as padlocks alarms pool covers. Assign a -water watcher- an adult with no distractions such as cell phones. Call them at 800-638-2772 for further information.
Credits: Consumer Product Safety Commission.
