My son-in-law Rob’s broken ankle was a result of playing in the annual firefighters’ Thanksgiving Day football game. Getting around on crutches was a pain, so he was more than ready for a family outing to look at Christmas lights. The light display at Portland International Raceway was their choice.
Rob and wife Shari, our daughter, had a big car with three rows of seats. The last row can be folded down for storage. On this outing, their two older children each got to invite a friend to go with them. Four-year-old Sierra picked 3-year-old Olivia, and they sat in the middle row. With them was the littlest girl, 2-year-old Quinn. River picked Collen, both age 7, and the two boys sat in the back row — with two big dogs.
When they arrived at P.I.R., Shari, who was driving, glanced in her rearview mirror to check on the children. Collen, far away in back, didn’t look good. Shari turned around to get a better look and yep, he really didn’t look good. She started dialing his mother to determine if he gets carsick. Meanwhile Rob, beside her in the passenger seat, was looking frantically for a sack or any container that he could pass back to the boys. The only thing was a small plastic sack.
Rob got out of the car to help Collen out the back door. But first those two big dogs had to jump down. Rob, on crutches, tried to hurry back there, but it was too late.
