anonymous_and_sad

Hi. Let me begin by apologizing if my questions have already been asked or answered. Right now I (emotionally) can't read all of the comments.

A little over two years ago my six-year-old daughter was killed. She was riding her bike and someone didn't look when they were backing up from a driveway. It was instant, but she was not declared until she was at the hospital.

There is some question as to who was driving, whether it was the mother or the 15-year-old daughter with a driving permit. But in my mind, it doesn't matter. I know it was an accident and was not intentional on their part.

OK, this is where the weird part comes in. I do not know what either of them look like, even though #1: we live in a small town, and #2: they were at the scene. (So was I, my husband, and my son. It happened 3 houses away from ours and we ran outside to see what all the commotion was. We had no idea.)

What I am trying to say is that I expected them to come up to us. To at least give their condolences. I know that attorneys and insurance companies always advise their clients to never admit guilt, and maybe apologizing could be construed as admitting guilt? Were you advised in this way? (And I realize that yours is different in that you personally knew her, and if you didn't know her family, you at least had knowledge of them.)

And, if it matters, there were no tickets issued and no breathalyzer administered; but I could kind of understand if they didn't talk to us or apologize at the time, just not now after so much time has passed.

Thank you for your condolences. Your AMA has made me think about some things in a different way. All of us can say "Well, I would do this", or "They should have done X", but NO ONE actually knows what they would do unless they have to.

I know that on "this side" of things, people will bend over backwards to help in any way they can. From support from family/friends to multiple organizations that specialize in aiding the survivors.....well, you get the point. Have you had emotional support other than people that were close to you before the accident? Have you found any organizations that specifically cater to someone in your situation?

Again, thanks for doing this AMA. That takes balls. And you're right- you have experienced something that you can potentially share (with kids, especially) and can maybe save someone else in the end. Godspeed, internet friend.