Young IndyCar driver Shawn Mendes has it all. Amazing family and friends, money, fame and beautiful girls at his beck and call. Well... all except for a certain brunette who seems immune to his popularity and charm.
Camila, an avid race fan grew u...
Warning: Graphic content ahead! Proceed with caution.
I hear the sounds of the crash almost instantly and before I realize what's going on, the sounds of heavy metal ripping through heavy metal and loud booms fill the air. I see a car flying in the air and cars trying to dodge what's just happened. My first thought is James! He's been running towards the front most of the day, but had a pretty lousy last pit stop so I'm praying he's not involved. My mind then races to Shawn. He was running at the very front of the pack and it's not until I turn to see the replay really quick before one of my coworkers drags me to the safety truck that I stop dead in my tracks.
The race announcer comes over the PA system "Shawn Mendes and at least four other drives involved in a fiery crash in Turn 2!"
Oh god! No....
The brief clip I'm able to watch shows Shawn's car fly over another one and ultimately crash into the safer barrier; HARD. (For the sake of the story, this is Shawn's car)
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I'm frozen. I literally can't move. Just yesterday I fought with him and he ended up kissing me. I can still feel his lips on mine, the butterflies in my stomach just thinking about my long awaited first kiss with him. The heat racing down my spine and tingling my skin as I was wrapped in his arms, savoring the taste and feel of his lips.
This can't be happening.
"Camila....Cam! CAMILA!" My coworker Joe finally yells to get me out of my daze. "We have to go! NOW!"
I don't know how, but the next thing I know, I'm at the scene of the crash. Half of the team is working on getting the fire under control and the other half is working on extracting the drivers from their cars. Joe directs me to help one of the other drivers out of his car.
A black flag is waved; which means all cars have to stop where they are. Luckily they are on the other side of the track now so we have plenty of room to get things done.
Without too much trouble, it's Niall I help out of his car. I can tell he's in shock because when we ask him if he's okay, he doesn't even have the strength to take his helmet off. We basically have to carry him to the aid car, my adrenaline must be kicking in because no way am I this strong right now. As I help Niall in the car, he grabs my hand in his big, gloved one and tightly squeezes. He lifts his visor off his helmet and yells because it's so loud;
"Shawn."
I nod my head in understanding of the unspoken words between us and as the other two drivers are escorted to the aid car and ultimately taken to the in-field hospital, I turn back to the wreckage that was Shawn's car.
My heart breaks as I see they are still struggling to get him out of the car and there are no signs of movement other than his head bobbing. They still have his helmet on him and they have most of the car cut away, until they realize they need something else.
"We need the saw and the stabilizers! There's a part of the suspension in his leg, we have to cut him out. CALL THE CHOPPER NOW!" One of my coworkers screams in our radios.
My stomach bottoms out, I feel like I'm going to be sick. We only ever call the infield chopper when we feel a driver needs serious medical treatment faster than they can provide, or the driver is dead.
I don't know what happens next, but I feel my legs give out and my head - still in my helmet - bounce on the hard track underneath me. It's like everything is going in slow motion. It's like an out of body experience that I'm supposed to be a part of but can only watch. All the memories of the last few weeks with Shawn hit me like a freight train and I can't stop them. The feeling of his hand in mine, his lips on mine and how the last thing I could've ever said to him before we kissed and made up was that I never wanted to see him again.
I didn't mean for this to happen.
The next thing I know I see Joe in my line of sight. He's kneeled down next to me as I'm shaking trying to hold back tears. "Camila, we need you to get up now. He's still alive. I don't know what's going on with you two, but he needs you. He came to just briefly after we got him cut out and the bar stabilized and all he managed was "Mila."
My body reacts quicker than my mind does. In an instant Joe helps me to my feet and I'm off to the races towards the helicopter. I don't even care that I still have all my gear on. I just want to get to Shawn.
He's alive!
I radio to my team that I'll be alright and that I'm going to Indiana University Medical Center with Mr. Mendes. I get the signal back for all clear and once they have Shawn secured in the helicopter, I squeeze in by the flight nurses. I can barely see him, it's such a tight squeeze, but I'm able to reach my hand forward and hold his. Even through my gloved hand, he feels colder than normal. The nurses are yelling at each other, working together over the noise, trying to control the bleeding.
I can only sit, tightly cramped in the corner, barely holding his hand and pray to God that he makes it out if this alive.
We aren't finished yet. Our story is just beginning.
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A/n: This chapter is based off a real crash I witnessed on TV a few years ago, involving a family friend that races IndyCar. My Uncle was working IndyCar at the time and it was so scary! You'll see how this turns out in the next few chapters, but I'm going to go on a nurse rant/shameless plug.
This driver lost almost all the blood in his body. More than 10 pints of blood needed to be replaced and if it weren't for blood donations, he wouldn't be with us today!
Please!! If you are old enough, willing and able: Donate blood, donate platelets, donate plasma! These are life saving things people need everyday! Contact your local American Red Cross or local blood banks and see if you are eligible. Especially during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic, blood and blood components are needed now more than ever for people affected by COVID, cancer patients, babies, adults, literally anyone!
I may be a nurse and seen as a hero just because of what I do everyday, but you can be a hero too by giving blood!
Ok...end of rant... let me know what you think and what will happen next! Don't forget to vote. 🏴🏁
