Accident Leads to a Better Life

My cousin Tj

A young man’s accident goes from tragedy, to a complete life change

March 22, 2007
Today marks one year to the day that Antonio Molinaro  Jr. got in to the tragic crash that he says, changed his life for the better. One night in Cape Cod he was partying with a couple of friends at the beach, and he had a few drinks. His ride home was a friend of his, and she was drinking much more than he was, so he made the decision to drive thinking it was the safer choice even though he had his license at the time.
A cape cod police officer saw the two going down the street and decided to pursue them, afraid of going to jail , Antonio Molinaro Jr. sped up to attempt to get away from the officer. The officer called for backup and then it turned into a high speed chase.” I lost the first two cops and when the third one got there it was too late.” Either there was ice on the road or it was a tire malfunction we don’t know but as Molinaro Jr says , “the car ‘fish-tailed’ at 85 mph , skidded and hit a pole.” He blacked out at the impact and doesn’t remember anything after the crash. From the driver’s seat he ended up out of the back passenger window. “The third cop stayed there and held my head together if it wasn’t for him I’d be dead.” The third cop told him after the crash that it was the worst crash that he had ever seen. Molinaro Jr. slipped into a coma for over two months things didn’t look great until one day when he woke, The cleaned up version of his first words were “What the heck.” That pretty much sums it up, Molinaro Jr. has no recollection of anything after the crash and he wasn’t even knowledgeable of the accident when he awoke. In fact he was in disbelief  he didn’t understand how this could’ve happened to him “I thought i was invincible, guess not. “ Says Molinaro Jr.
So exactly a year after his accident he has gone through extensive therapy where he had to teach himself to walk again. When asked what he learned about drinking and driving he says he has learned that, “Life is too precious.” To this day he takes full responsibility for his own destiny. Near death experiences make you think .Was it his fate to get into this accident and make it through to save him from all his bad habits from before. Or was it just coincidence that such a bad thing led to changing his ways for the better? In memory of what he has gone through Molinaro Jr. got his first tattoo. It’s of praying hands and rosary beads on top it says survivor and underneath it says the date 3-22-06 and for him, it has religious and symbolic value. So forever he will remember that he, Antonio Molinaro Jr. is in fact truly a survivor. My Cousin is one of the strongest people that I know. The doctors said that he may never wake from the coma,he may never walk,or talk, he may never etc… After some time he can run, he can ride a bike, he can work out and you know what I am proud of him! He and his parents have gone through so much.

I am thankful to have him here as a constant reminder not to take life for granted! I love you TJ!

 

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