Bad News, Now Good News!!

[ballaratdragons]

I don't know if any of you saw or heard it on the news today, but a school bus was wiped out by a 'B' Double Semi Trailer this morning in heavy fog near Ballarat.

It was the school bus for my daughters school! Luckily for her she catches a different bus, BUT her best friend at school is in a bad way in hospital.

My daughter is in shock as is most of the school and after counsellors where brought in from all over the district they were all sent home.
Jess (my daughter) is doing a bit better now but still shaky.

When you are out there tonight staring at the sky please take a moment and say a prayer to whoever you pray to for the kids that where injured and the others from the school in shock.

Thank you.

Ken

[EddieT]

That's terrible news Ken. I've been working all day and hadn't heard about it. Glad to hear yours are ok and hope everyone involved manages to come out of it a little bit stronger.

[atalas]

Ken that's bad news mate,being a father my self I hate hearing kids getting hurt .


Louie

[Astroman]

I saw the report on tonights news, sorry to hear your daughters somewhat involved.

I don't pray to anything, so I will just say I hope her friend(s) have a speedy recovery.

[RAJAH235]

Hi Ken, That's really bad news mate. Hope all have a speedie recovery, both physically & emotionally. To be involved in any accident is a great shock to anyone's system, let alone children. All the best to everyone.
Regards, L. :thumbsup: to all.

[iceman]

Hoping for the best to all involved. Being a father of 3 young kids I just can't bring myself to imagine how I'd feel if I was the dad of one of those in hospital.. it would be the worst feeling ever.

I hope everyone recovers and your daughter stays strong.

[seeker372011]

That's terrible Ken and I am so sorry to hear of this awful accident..I hope all the kids recover

[ballaratdragons]

Thanks for your thoughts all. Very kind words.

I just went and had a bit of a cry with Jess. It is a very close school community. There are only 130 kids in the whole school and the 13 on the bus were all injured.

Apparently by latest news Laura (jess's friend) has bad head injuries, lots of skin torn off from hitting the road and bad burns to her leg from the bus motor. Most of the other kids have been released from hospital. Only 3 still in there. 2 of the kids got burnt by the bus motor's exhaust manifold as they were thrown out.

We saw the bus tonight and the whole back of it is missing. Just torn off.

They are so lucky to be alive.

[Orion]

Ken I'll be praying for your daughters peace of mind and everyone that has been evolved in that accident. Thank you for letting us know.

Godbless. Ed.

[wavelandscott]

I've been in meetings all day and miss the news about this...

As has been expressed by all previously, I hope everyone heals quickly from this terrible accident...

[robin]

When i was a press photographer Ken, I witnessed endless road carnage.It rips your guts out & makes you go home,run up to your children(& family) & hug them tight....hope your daughter copes as well as she can....

[gaa_ian]

My thoughts and prayers are with your Daughter & all of the Kids involved Ken.
I have been through this before in my family, so I know how it feels.

[johnno]

Thats very sad news Ken,Kath and I hope everybody involved recovers quickly,
Take care.John

[beren]

My thoughts are with you ken and Jess and to the families affected ...God bless

[ballaratdragons]

Thank you. Jess finally fell asleep.

We will know more about the kids on the bus tomorrow.

[[1ponders]]

My heart goes out to you Ken and all your community. Our kids are our only true treasures. This is a terrible tragedy. I'd like to wish everyone, children and families a speedy recovery, physically and emotionally. Sounds like you have a wonderfully strong community down there.

[xstream]

We're thinking of you Ken & Jess.
God bless.

[Dave47tuc]

My Thoughts are with you all.


I hate the roads.

:prey:

[ballaratdragons]

GOOD NEWS!

All the kids are OK! The 2 in hospital are in good spirits. Getting lots of visitors. Laura has very bad burns on the back of her legs but otherwise she is feeling fine. All she remembers was a very loud noise and everything vanished including the the kids next to her. Not much else. They were sitting on the back seat (see photo above). The girl sitting next to Laura was found 200m back down the road!

They will be going home from hospital in 2 days time.

Thank you all for your prayers, wishes and thoughts for our kids and our community.

[Astroman]

Thats great news Ken. Glad to hear they will be okay.

[ballaratdragons]

For those that did not get the news.

I am happy that they are all OK now. (See previous post)

http://www.thecourier.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=feature%20story&story_id=393644&y=2005&m=5

The red thing hanging out the back of the bus in the article (see link) is the back seat they were sitting on!

[seeker372011]

great to hear

[johnno]

That is extremly good news,we are very pleased everone is ok.
Regards.John

[RAJAH235]

:2thumbs: to all. Great news. :D L.

[ving]

gee, away from the puter for just a bit and look what happens.
glad to hear that everyone is ok. must have been horrific.
Jess ok now?

[De-Gen]

I guess the prayers did work, good to hear that the girl is in stable condition.

[Mick]

I've been away Ken, glad to hear things are coming good now. Best wishes to all involved.

[iceman]

Wow that photo really shows how lucky everyone was.. it really could've been much, much worse.

Great to hear that everyone is recovering well.

[ballaratdragons]

Yes, Jess is better now thanks David. We will see how she goes at school today with her friends not there.

Yes Mike, very lucky. It was the quick thinking of the bus driver that saved them. In the instant the driver saw the truck he had about half a second to floor the accelerator which moved the bus forward just enough not to be hit T-boned! Which the experts said would have killed the kids.

Todays report is that all are going home tomorrow. Phew!

Will, yep the prayers worked!

[ballaratdragons]

Kayla, the girl sitting next to Laura, that was found 200m back down the road, has stitches from the top of her forehead running down her nose and diagonally across her cheek going over near the base of her ear, and 10 more in the top of her head. A lot of the skin is missing off the side of her face. And yet she is happy and laughing (painfully, but laughing).

I do hope and pray it heals well for her without too much scarring.

Kayla's little brother (who was also in the bus) is getting a Bravery Award because he pulled the Unconcious Laura off the hot motor and back into the bus and then ran back up the road and stopped a car seconds before it ran over his sister.

I don't want to post any more on this subject. Let's just leave it at "They are all doing OK".

Thank you all.