Man hit in exact spot where daughter was hit years ago
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SEATTLE -- Des De Castro was working as a crossing guard outside Salmon Bay K-8 on Monday when a car slammed into him.
De Castro's broke through the windshield, and his neck was heavily bruised.
The incident is still a blur in his mind.
"I didn't remember that I pass out," he said.
De Castro's doctors found a splintered bone in his neck, and they say he is lucky the injury didn't leave him paralyzed.
But what concerns De Castro most is not what could have happened to him, but rather what could still happen to someone else.
"I have my uniform. I have my cap with 'crossing guard' (on it). I thought she would stop," he said. "If they can hit a crossing guard, how much more (neglectful will they be) of the kids?"
De Castro has worked as a crossing guard for more than a dozen years, and this is not the first time he has witnessed such disregard for this crosswalk by a driver. The year after he started working as a guard, a driver hit his 14-year-old daughter in the exact same crosswalk.
She has fully recovered since, and these two accidents only drive De Castro to work harder to keep others safe.
"They should be observant of what's happening, especially (in) the cross walk. They should be more concerned," he said.
Now, instead of walking kids, Des rests with his medicine close at hand. Just standing up is enough to make him dizzy.
Despite his condition, De Castro says his heart is full, thanks to the outpouring of support from his Salmon Bay family.
"I know in my heart that these kids appreciate what I'm doing," he said.
"It's really the talk around school, you know. 'How is Des? Is he going to be okay?'" said Salmon Bay volunteer coordinator Sharon Feliciano. "And to see the kids rally around him is really heartwarming."
Even as he recovers, De Castro, who lives across the street from the school, is keeping an eye out the window, waiting to get back to his post.
De Castro's broke through the windshield, and his neck was heavily bruised.
The incident is still a blur in his mind.
"I didn't remember that I pass out," he said.
De Castro's doctors found a splintered bone in his neck, and they say he is lucky the injury didn't leave him paralyzed.
But what concerns De Castro most is not what could have happened to him, but rather what could still happen to someone else.
"I have my uniform. I have my cap with 'crossing guard' (on it). I thought she would stop," he said. "If they can hit a crossing guard, how much more (neglectful will they be) of the kids?"
De Castro has worked as a crossing guard for more than a dozen years, and this is not the first time he has witnessed such disregard for this crosswalk by a driver. The year after he started working as a guard, a driver hit his 14-year-old daughter in the exact same crosswalk.
She has fully recovered since, and these two accidents only drive De Castro to work harder to keep others safe.
"They should be observant of what's happening, especially (in) the cross walk. They should be more concerned," he said.
Now, instead of walking kids, Des rests with his medicine close at hand. Just standing up is enough to make him dizzy.
Despite his condition, De Castro says his heart is full, thanks to the outpouring of support from his Salmon Bay family.
"I know in my heart that these kids appreciate what I'm doing," he said.
"It's really the talk around school, you know. 'How is Des? Is he going to be okay?'" said Salmon Bay volunteer coordinator Sharon Feliciano. "And to see the kids rally around him is really heartwarming."
Even as he recovers, De Castro, who lives across the street from the school, is keeping an eye out the window, waiting to get back to his post.
Uhhh, they LIVE by the crosswalk and he WORKS in the crosswalk. If they were both going to be hit, the odds were pretty damn HIGH that it'd be in the same location. It's unfortunate, but in the circumstances - not surprising at all.
WHAT DUMB LUCK HE MUST HAVE
"Salmon Bay K-8"? Oh!... the "Monroe Pen"!
That is a problem roadway for pedestrians.
Well, "traffic fines double in school zones"!
Distracted drivinng is a big problem. In some jurisdictions, the police have to lock the keyboard on their computers because police are getting into more accidents because of all the distracting crap they have in their patrol cars.
In addition to cellphoning and texting, now DWT will become more prevalent (Driving While Toke-ing)
I see this so often driving my kids to school- cars that actually turn into the crosswalk while there is a child and crossing guard right there on it, barely missing them! It is un-American, I tell you!
guess he didn't learn
I am glad he will eventually heal; it could have been much worse. These people get up at the crack of dawn, and come back at the end of the day and VOLUNTEER to be out there for those kids to keep them safe. I commend him and others that give up their time for this. It's chilling to think about what could have happened & that, as we all know, there are plenty more drivers where this one came from.
Just goes to show how many people dont pay attention when they are driving!!
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driver ? did they stop? charged with ?
I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it were someone texting or on a cell phone.
I wouldn't be surprised if they were not texting or on the phone. People are just selfish and believe their time is more precious than human life. Less than a minute is the time frame for children to cross the street.
I hope the idiot who hit him was charger with something that will make her wake up and pay attention when she is drving from now on.Â