Had quite a scare today
Mike and I both work at the same car dealership, he's a technician and I'm the title clerk. The owner of the place is known for making silly commercials, and usually has the starring role although most everyone who's worked there has been in at least a few. He's dropped cars from a crane, ridden an elephant, dangled from the top of the building... you name, we've filmed it.
We've also been doing some major remodelling lately, so the idea came about that the latest commercial would look like people scattering in every direction as a car comes crashing through the office. Now, this office was being torn down as part of the remodelling any way, so the ceiling was removed and the frame was weakened so it would collapse as the car went through it. The plan was to film a few takes of the owner driving the car up to the office and skidding to a stop as everyone scattered, and then they'd film the car crash with everyone safely out of the way, and perform a bit of magic on the computer to make it appear that the walls were coming down around the car as everyone took out running.
Only problem was, everything didn't go according to plan. After 3 test runs to get the angle right, on the fourth run (which they were filming) the car lost traction and didn't stop before it hit the office wall. It crashed right into the office and the walls really did come crasing down. And Mike couldn't get out of the way fast enough. A piece of the frame knocked him to the ground in front of the car, and then anohter portion of the wall fell on top of him. After a few seconds of stunned silence, everyone began shouting and running around to help him. (So I'm told. Thank GOD I wasn't there to see it, or I'd have had a heart attack and died right there on the spot.) Someone came to get me from the office, but I didn't know anything was wrong until I got to the door and someone said "it's Mike", then I hit the door running. There were 3 guys lifting Mike into a van, all I could see were his feet. I didn't know how bad he was hurt or even if he was conscious or not. I climbed into the van with them, and off we went to the emergency room.
Thankfully, Mike was conscious and could talk, and able to answer questions that were asked of him. It was his leg that was injured. We got to the emergency room and got him all checked in. They took x-rays and didn't find any broken bones. They don't think he has any torn ligaments, but can't really tell from x-rays, so he'll know for sure if the swelling doesn't go down over the next couple of days. He's got a lot of cuts and bruises that are going to be sore the next couple of days, so they prescribed some pain pills.
The owner of the dealership stayed with us the entire time we were there, and then helped me get him and both of our vehicles home. Actually, he and Mike are old friends, they've known each other for many years and he was terrified that Mike was hurt. In all the years they've been filming commercials, no one has ever gotten hurt before. He was also generous in that the dealership is paying all of Mike's medical expenses and giving him full pay for all his time lost from work.
We are so lucky that Mike wasn't seriously injured. If that wall had been heavier it could have crushed him, or if the car had skidded just a few more feet he'd have been run over. We definitely had a Guardian Angel with us today.
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