OK, update time.

The first thing that I must say is that even though I have witnessed and participated in the Mudcat miracle many times over the years, it still floors me, most especially when one is the recipient. It is humbling, it is gratifying, and it restores ones faith in humans of all stripes. I am so proud to be a part of this community.

It appears more and more that there is much more to this accident than first met the eye. If one read the news reports, or listened to the TV reports, they would think that this was a case of a couple of girls giggling, having fun, not paying attention, missing a stop sign, all with tragic results. But that is not the case. Ciara pulled up to the stop sign and stopped according to the witnesses. There was a tractor pulling a loaded hay wagon very slowly. Ciara looked, determined she had plenty of time, pulled out to cross the road. At that moment, a young man in a car behind the wagon decided he had had enough, gunned the car and passed in the intersection, and hit Ciara. There were no skid marks, he never even had time to react. The farmer said Ciara stopped and looked. The Traffic Reconstruction Lieutenant said it was "a perfect storm of an accident". I am at war with the media. First they reported the accident and then speculated that Ciara had run a stop sign. Then I discorver, much to my anger, that a reporter sent Ciara a message on Facebook, asking her to contact her privately and give them details of the accident. This after they reported that she was a minor, that she was in critical condition, and while the investigation was ongoing. Old Mick loves a fight, especially when someone else picks it. This is one of those times. The media, if they are acting with integrity, has the job to report the news, not create it. They have the obligation to be accurate, and not speculate. If there is any integrity involved, they would balance the public's need to know with the potential effect on the individuals, the families, and the community. And under no circumstances should they be contacting minor children for statements without the parents, who are responsible, consent. As I pointed out to the Editor in Chief, there is a TV show on in the States that deals with online predators who take advantage of minors by preying on them via the internet. Understanding that the show is about sexual predators, but really about preying on young teens, I asked him how his reporter was any different? I am not done with this one, in fact I have barely started. We are going to have a discussion in this community about journalistic integrity in the Brave, New World.

Ciara continues to heal, and she continues to amaze. She got out of the hospital just in time to visit with Terra's remarkable family. Many tears were shed between us. The next day, at Terra's funeral, with the blessing of Terra's Mom, she spoke during the funeral. A very brave young lady, and I am so proud to be her Dad. The next day we were having breakfast and she asked me, "Dad, will I ever be a normal kid again?". I told her she already was a normal kid, but she would never be the same kid again. She has experienced something that many, thanks be to God, never have to face. She told me that she has been thinking about it a lot, and that her very last memory of Terra was of Terra laughing. Ciara has accepted that it was Terra's time to depart this earth, and she told me that she feels honored to have been the one that spent the last moments with her and laughing. We have much healing to do, but if that is the point we are starting from, this Dad is feeling good about that. We know we have work to do, and I know about the imp known as PTSD. But we will get through this, together.

Thanks for showing the miraculous Mudcat heart. It truly is a wonder.

Love to all,

Mick