10-02-2007, 11:28 AM
Survivor Says God Saved Him After Car Brakes Failed In Tragic Accident.
http://www.bvinews.com/default.asp?sourc...ws&he=.com
Forty-six-year old welder Jose Hatchett, the lone survivor of Monday morning’s tragic car accident in which his three friends died, tells BVI News Online’s Merrick Andrews about how he reluctantly went out with his friends, how fear struck when the car brakes failed and what happened after the car crashed. The Dominican Republic native also tells us about the nightmares he is having as a result of the accident. In addition, Andrews also spoke to Jose’s mother who told us how she felt about her son’s survival and about the tragedy in general.
Tell me from the start: how did you end up going with them at the club?
My truck, it burst the fan belt and I went with the fan belt to the garage and we change it, and then I tell him I want to go home, I want to go home to my bed and you keep the truck and you carry me home and keep the truck and he tell me no, no, no, we going, we going together, we going Three Colours. We went to Three Colours. When we reach Three Colours, the two girl and the fella that died tell me that they were waiting on me and that let’s go to the disco. I told them I ain’t bathe yet so I want to go home. They say, no, no, no, let’s go, let’s go, please go, we ain’t bathe yet. So I end up going with them.
CAR LOSES BRAKES
After we come out from there, the fellow said let’s go Cane Garden Bay, and I say I don’t want to go Cane Garden Bay you know. And one of the girls – the black girl say – she sleepy and she want to go home… We went by Nito, buy chicken and chips and then we went to Cane Garden Bay and then the car loses its brakes.
So he used the handbrakes [and] the car hold up a little but it give a little noise… and then the car start to pick up speed because he take a couple corners with a lot of speed you know and then it look like he lose control on one side of the hill, and then come back and knock the other side by the front, and then come back and knock the other side.
CAR HITS WALL
I called God. I said “Jehovahâ€, hard and then I felt like the car stabilised and then I come out of the car and I see the people. When I come out of the car, I see people right there. I see ambulance and people, and then I asked one of the fellas, “wey the girls dem?, wey the girls dem? He tell me they ain’t make it… and then I start to bawl and bawl and bawl. When I reach in the hospital I see them giving shocks to the fella and then they tell me that he passed away.
Is the first time you being out with them?
No. Not all the time. Some time we missed one of the others.
Did he know that his vehicle gives problems?
No, because remember that the brakes work one way on the flats but in the hill it’s totally different…
So while the vehicle was heading for the wall, what did you hear from the others in the car?
The girl who was close to me… she said ‘oh my god’. After that I don’t see or hear she say nothing else. Nobody else say nothing in the car.
How long have you known them?
Like four to six months. The man I know him from a long time. He is a good driver but when problem coming you can’t avoid it. Some people saying that he was drunk, but he was not drunk.
Have you ever thought about jumping out of the vehicle?
No. No. Never cross in my mind because I know the consequences when you do that, plus it’s a soft top. I lucky I be alive because if the car had turned it had a soft top.
What did you think saved your life?
Well, to me, God put he hand into it, God put he hand into it because a good while ago I was a Christian… and he being talking to me in several ways. Some people don’t believe but I know what I feel when I being a Christian before.
Will you heed the calling now? Is this a wake-up call to go back to God? What will you do with your life now?
Well, I going back, I going back to serve the Lord because I know that I could say that I know God.
What are you feeling for the other victims?
I feel that its people and good friends and I feel some kind of sadness. Sometimes I get depressed and start to cry.
Are you pleased with how the emergency teams responded to the accident?
… They reach in no time. When I come out I feel the car stop. The car didn’t turn. I stand up on the seat and climb out the window. I heard one of them say, ‘See one coming out.’ And I come out and sit down on the wall… and they hold me and put me in the stretcher… so that’s surprise me because the impact that we received I never imagine … The car knock very hard, make a big sound. Them thing that they put at the side of the road [guard railings] is very important, very, very important.
Is this your first accident?
Well, like that yes. In Long Bush, I touched a car; nothing big.
Have you learnt anything from this experience?
Sometime you got to do what the mind say because when that come in your mind it is because you ain’t feeling something and you trying to avoid something.
Where in Cane Garden Bay where you were going?
At Quito’s.
Is that a regular night out?
No. The fellow that died was making birthday today; that’s what the doctor told me.
So what’s the doctor’s assessment of your current condition?
He said no broken bones. He said everything is ok.
The police said it doesn’t appear that you and others were wearing seatbelts.
I see none of them jump higher than the seat. I was forcing myself in the vehicle. The girl like she jumped a little.
Do you have kids?
Yes, three.
How do you feel to be alive today to tell them about what happened?
I feel good I feel good and I could tell them about what happened and what I feel and that God is true and God is real. So how come four of we in the car and the girl next to me die right there and look at my condition.
HIS MOTHER
How do you feel? I am sure you must be relieved that your son is alive.
I feel sad, well sad for those who lose their life; they gone without the Lord. I am sorry for them. You know who save he? Jesus. God save he because I was praying… sometimes in the night when I can’t sleep I will be thinking on he because he like to drink and he was a Christian already. When I can’t sleep, I said it is time to pray and when I start to pray, I pray for he more than all the rest because I know he does drink. And there I see that who save he, is God.
So when time was you informed about the accident?
Around 9 o clock because like how I suffer with me heart mi children dem does hide a lot of things from me….
So how did you feel when you were told that your son was in an accident?
Well I start crying; although me he is ok but when I hear the other people die it let me feel bad and I start crying then my daughter start telling me that not to cry because he is alive and he is ok; when I heard the rest die, it let me feel bad….
Did you know any of the three victims?
I know one well. I know the guy. His father supposed to be one of my children godfather.
When last did you talk to him?
About a month ago.
Warm Christian Love
Bangalore
http://www.bvinews.com/default.asp?sourc...ws&he=.com
Forty-six-year old welder Jose Hatchett, the lone survivor of Monday morning’s tragic car accident in which his three friends died, tells BVI News Online’s Merrick Andrews about how he reluctantly went out with his friends, how fear struck when the car brakes failed and what happened after the car crashed. The Dominican Republic native also tells us about the nightmares he is having as a result of the accident. In addition, Andrews also spoke to Jose’s mother who told us how she felt about her son’s survival and about the tragedy in general.
Tell me from the start: how did you end up going with them at the club?
My truck, it burst the fan belt and I went with the fan belt to the garage and we change it, and then I tell him I want to go home, I want to go home to my bed and you keep the truck and you carry me home and keep the truck and he tell me no, no, no, we going, we going together, we going Three Colours. We went to Three Colours. When we reach Three Colours, the two girl and the fella that died tell me that they were waiting on me and that let’s go to the disco. I told them I ain’t bathe yet so I want to go home. They say, no, no, no, let’s go, let’s go, please go, we ain’t bathe yet. So I end up going with them.
CAR LOSES BRAKES
After we come out from there, the fellow said let’s go Cane Garden Bay, and I say I don’t want to go Cane Garden Bay you know. And one of the girls – the black girl say – she sleepy and she want to go home… We went by Nito, buy chicken and chips and then we went to Cane Garden Bay and then the car loses its brakes.
So he used the handbrakes [and] the car hold up a little but it give a little noise… and then the car start to pick up speed because he take a couple corners with a lot of speed you know and then it look like he lose control on one side of the hill, and then come back and knock the other side by the front, and then come back and knock the other side.
CAR HITS WALL
I called God. I said “Jehovahâ€, hard and then I felt like the car stabilised and then I come out of the car and I see the people. When I come out of the car, I see people right there. I see ambulance and people, and then I asked one of the fellas, “wey the girls dem?, wey the girls dem? He tell me they ain’t make it… and then I start to bawl and bawl and bawl. When I reach in the hospital I see them giving shocks to the fella and then they tell me that he passed away.
Is the first time you being out with them?
No. Not all the time. Some time we missed one of the others.
Did he know that his vehicle gives problems?
No, because remember that the brakes work one way on the flats but in the hill it’s totally different…
So while the vehicle was heading for the wall, what did you hear from the others in the car?
The girl who was close to me… she said ‘oh my god’. After that I don’t see or hear she say nothing else. Nobody else say nothing in the car.
How long have you known them?
Like four to six months. The man I know him from a long time. He is a good driver but when problem coming you can’t avoid it. Some people saying that he was drunk, but he was not drunk.
Have you ever thought about jumping out of the vehicle?
No. No. Never cross in my mind because I know the consequences when you do that, plus it’s a soft top. I lucky I be alive because if the car had turned it had a soft top.
What did you think saved your life?
Well, to me, God put he hand into it, God put he hand into it because a good while ago I was a Christian… and he being talking to me in several ways. Some people don’t believe but I know what I feel when I being a Christian before.
Will you heed the calling now? Is this a wake-up call to go back to God? What will you do with your life now?
Well, I going back, I going back to serve the Lord because I know that I could say that I know God.
What are you feeling for the other victims?
I feel that its people and good friends and I feel some kind of sadness. Sometimes I get depressed and start to cry.
Are you pleased with how the emergency teams responded to the accident?
… They reach in no time. When I come out I feel the car stop. The car didn’t turn. I stand up on the seat and climb out the window. I heard one of them say, ‘See one coming out.’ And I come out and sit down on the wall… and they hold me and put me in the stretcher… so that’s surprise me because the impact that we received I never imagine … The car knock very hard, make a big sound. Them thing that they put at the side of the road [guard railings] is very important, very, very important.
Is this your first accident?
Well, like that yes. In Long Bush, I touched a car; nothing big.
Have you learnt anything from this experience?
Sometime you got to do what the mind say because when that come in your mind it is because you ain’t feeling something and you trying to avoid something.
Where in Cane Garden Bay where you were going?
At Quito’s.
Is that a regular night out?
No. The fellow that died was making birthday today; that’s what the doctor told me.
So what’s the doctor’s assessment of your current condition?
He said no broken bones. He said everything is ok.
The police said it doesn’t appear that you and others were wearing seatbelts.
I see none of them jump higher than the seat. I was forcing myself in the vehicle. The girl like she jumped a little.
Do you have kids?
Yes, three.
How do you feel to be alive today to tell them about what happened?
I feel good I feel good and I could tell them about what happened and what I feel and that God is true and God is real. So how come four of we in the car and the girl next to me die right there and look at my condition.
HIS MOTHER
How do you feel? I am sure you must be relieved that your son is alive.
I feel sad, well sad for those who lose their life; they gone without the Lord. I am sorry for them. You know who save he? Jesus. God save he because I was praying… sometimes in the night when I can’t sleep I will be thinking on he because he like to drink and he was a Christian already. When I can’t sleep, I said it is time to pray and when I start to pray, I pray for he more than all the rest because I know he does drink. And there I see that who save he, is God.
So when time was you informed about the accident?
Around 9 o clock because like how I suffer with me heart mi children dem does hide a lot of things from me….
So how did you feel when you were told that your son was in an accident?
Well I start crying; although me he is ok but when I hear the other people die it let me feel bad and I start crying then my daughter start telling me that not to cry because he is alive and he is ok; when I heard the rest die, it let me feel bad….
Did you know any of the three victims?
I know one well. I know the guy. His father supposed to be one of my children godfather.
When last did you talk to him?
About a month ago.
Warm Christian Love
Bangalore