GRATITUDE: Community members rush to help after a mom and son’s spill

It wasn’t just those helmets that saved Connie Wolf and her son after a spill on Saturday. She sent this as an open letter to thank everyone who came to their rescue:

On Saturday afternoon I completely wiped out on my bicycle in front of the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal bus stop. It was a helmeted-head-hitting-the-concrete kind of fall.

My husband abandoned his own bike and came running to tend to me and our son, who was riding in the seat behind me.

Our only thoughts were for our 8-year-old and so we never got a chance to thank the beautiful people who supported us through what could have been a truly tragic accident. Thank you for stopping traffic for us, for staying with us until you knew we didn’t need an ambulance, and for just being there. We luckily escaped that scary experience with some aches and a few scabs.

Today I’m full of gratitude for all of the patient drivers and caring pedestrians at the scene who made sure we were okay. So many good people in the world, and West Seattle is especially blessed.

-Connie Wolf

Elaine September 27, 2020 (5:14 pm)

What a lovely, gracious letter! Glad everyone is OK.

Jill September 27, 2020 (6:01 pm)

So thankful this ended so well.

~Hockeywitch~ September 27, 2020 (6:18 pm)

Happy you all are okay.. Scare stuff.. Glad that so many people came to your side and your aid. Heal well and quickly.

Mj September 27, 2020 (6:43 pm)

A metro water taxi shuttle bus driver deserves a call out for helping out in getting me and my daughter from Alki to the top of Admiral when I encountered a double flat tire situation while riding with her a month ago, ride to water taxi station switching shuttle busses to get up the hill. KUDOS

Kathy September 27, 2020 (7:42 pm)

Replace your helmet and consider getting an MRI to determine if there was any damage to your brain. If you hit your head you may have a concussion.

Calires September 27, 2020 (9:12 pm)

Good point, Kathy. I didn’t realize I had a concussion after an accident until a few days later when I couldn’t remember words and was losing big chunks of time without realizing it.
bolo September 28, 2020 (10:51 am)

Agreed. Remember the helmet is designed as sacrificial, to sacrifice its styrofoam padding to preserve your skull and brains. So after a hard hit, replace the helmet, even if there is no observable apparent damage.

Lots to be thankful for here.
- Kathy September 28, 2020 (11:58 am)
  
  I would like to add my long belated thanks to the people who stopped their cars to help me a few years ago when my bike slipped on wet pavement and I went down while trying to turn left from northbound Fauntleroy to go down to Beach Drive. People even offered to put my bike in their truck but I insisted on getting home under my own power. When I arrived home 3 miles later, I asked my husband how I got there, I had no memory of the ride. It took a few weeks for my head to clear but a CAT scan the day of the crash showed no permanent damage, thankfully. By the way, I meant to say CAT scan, not MRI.

MaryS September 27, 2020 (10:50 pm)

I’m so sorry to hear about this, Connie, but happy to hear that you and your little man are okay! How scary. And how wonderful that you were aided by so many in the community. I saw you paying it forward tonight when you came out to support the people involved in the crash on our street. Take care and let me know if you need anything.

Tracey September 28, 2020 (6:56 am)

I don’t know if this had anything to do with your accident but I ride the area regularly and there is some bad pavement right in front of that bus stop. I always try to avoid it by moving to the shoulder but it is overgrown with blackberries. Fauntleroy Way and Beach Drive are an obstacle course for riders trying to avoid potholes and large cracks in the pavement. Ironically, they are a designated bike route. Glad you are alright.

Kathy September 28, 2020 (12:12 pm)

Reconnect West Seattle project #B058 (Community Request) description: “Clear vegetation overgrowing into the east side bike lane across from the WA State ferry terminal. Fill in gap in uphill unseparated bike lane from SW Thistle to SW Webster opposite Lincoln Park.”I don’t know if this work has been done or is planned to be done any time soon. I haven’t ridden by there in several days.
Darryll September 28, 2020 (5:35 pm)

Hi Tracey,That’s exactly what happened. The pavement was extremely slick, The bus signs blocked our view of the pedestrian entering the roadway to cross to the ferry terminal, and the crosswalk is right at the bottom of the hill and the end of a long turn. We picked up multiple bicycle parts thinking they were from my wife’s bike, but apparently they were from other bike accidents in the same spot. You would think the place was designed with the goal of injuring people.

Foop September 28, 2020 (8:10 am)

I get this. When I crashed my bike I was so pumped with adrenaline that I failed to thank anyone for stopping. I was mostly concerned with not having an ambulance called (this is America after all and that’s not a bill I want to pay) and getting home to rest and make sense of what happened. It’s hard to process in those moments, glad you could use the blog to reach out.

Sorry, comment time is over.