A Time of Sadness

                At some point in our lives we take life for granted, but unfortunately we don’t realize it until we are faced with a difficult situation. I was studying for a Communications test when I got a phone call. My cousin was in an accident and he was placed on a respiratory machine in Intensive Care at the hospital. I quickly got dressed and headed out the door. When I first arrived the family was in complete disarray, the emotions were expressed with extreme sadness, and the tears were flowing from everyone’s eyes.  I was not aware of the severity of the accident until I saw my family’s reaction and the words from the Doctors mouth telling us, “The outcome doesn’t look promising. All we can do is wait to see if he shows any signs of improvement”. This incident has left my family heartbroken along with unanswered questions. The ambulance picked Zach up around 6 a.m. They found him lying in an apartment complex in the middle of the street; it was about 25 miles away from his house.  The last time anyone spoke to Zach was around 9:00 pm the previous evening.  We had no idea how he made it to the hospital or how he obtained his injuries. A detective has been at the hospital trying to gather any information to help reveal what could have happened. The next day after Zach was admitted; the police discovered evidence that would hopefully disclose what really happened.  After the detective continued his investigation things were finally starting to come together. It was revealed that Zach attended a party in the apartment complex. Apparently there was a verbal altercation between Zach and another individual. Shortly after, Zach left the party. Somewhere between leaving the party and walking to his car he was assaulted. He was struck from behind by an individual who caused him to fall to the ground. After the assaulter struck him he proceeded to punch Zach in the face. The assaulter left him in the road of the apartment complex. We are unaware of the exact time the incident happened. Witnesses say they heard the altercation, but were not able to see it considering it was dark outside. Even at that point, no one called the police. Zach was left helpless in the road and all alone. He was knocked out unconscious along with a severe head injury.  At some point after he was abandoned, a taxi cab driver struck something in the road. The taxi driver thought she hit an animal; it wasn’t until she got out of her cab that she realized she ran over Zach.  She immediately called the police and this is how Zach finally made it to the emergency room. If it was not for the taxi cab driver he could have been left there all night with no chance of survival. It has been 4 days and Zach still remains in intensive care.  He is not showing any signs of improvement and the family is trying to stay strong and positive. During Zach’s surgery, the doctors removed part of his brain along with his skull due to the severe swelling. The doctors say the outlook is bleak, but my family is continuously praying for a miracle. This is the first time that I have witnessed or experienced such a traumatic incident. My family’s emotions are equivalent to that of a rollercoaster, they go up and right back down. We have moments when we manage to find laughter and times when the tears fall like rain. My family and I are confident that the detective will be able to apprehend the assaulter. He has assured us that he has a few leads and suspects. I am asking anyone who reads this to please pray for my cousin Zach Gamble. He has a 7 year old son and a family who loves him unconditionally. We need all the prayer and support we can get. My family and I are continuously praying for a full recovery of an innocent individual. I hope the assaulter pays for the crime that he has committed and the heartache he has caused our family. I guess I will never be able to understand individuals and their actions. How does an individual commit such a horrific act of violence?!?!