Page 39 - 200609 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - September 2006

Artist Survives Accident 39 Artist Survives Accident 39 Winnipeg Artist Winnipeg Artist Miraculously Survives Miraculously Survives Accident Accident By Martha Jette By Martha Jette We just never know when our number might be up and God calls us home. For one Winnipeg artist, it seemed that he’d received that call. Ludolf Grolle of Winnipeg and friend, Elvis Koblavi from Togo had traveled North of the city on August 4 2006 to Thompson, Manitoba, which is a drive of about 775 km. The next day, they began the trip back home. When they set out, little did they know they would come perilously close to never seeing Winnipeg – or their loved ones again. Between the small towns of Thompson and Ponton, the drive was uneventful. It was very few homes and little traffic. However, their from the screen.” dusk with intermittent light rain and Ludolf was prayers were answered almost immediately. Perhaps his angels and/or spirit helpers driving about 110 km per hour. However, about “A car met us. Had it not come, we would have were with him during this horrible accident. He 25 kilometers past Ponton, they came upon a collapsed in the cold.” has since learned that the entire Cree Indian poorly maintained stretch of road with a distinct The kind stranger drove them to Ponton. nation lived, roamed and died in that area of curve. Then, just for a second, the 53-year-old At about 10:30 p.m., the paramedics and Royal Manitoba at one time as well. Whoever it was, lost his concentration. Canadian Mounted Police arrived to help them. it appears that they might have left behind “I hit the gravel on the side of the road At this point, Ludolf went into shock. The visible signs of their presence in the and tried to brake,” said Ludolf. paramedics put neck braces on both men and photographs. That’s all it took to send the vehicle into placed them on gurneys. In the ambulance on I asked Ludolf if he felt any different a spin. Although he tried to brake to slow the car the way to Thompson, Ludolf had his vital signs after having lived through this experience. down, it spun four or five times on its wheels, taken three times. His heart was gently hand While life has now gotten back to some skidded about 500 yards and turned into the massaged as well and his blood pressure, which semblance of normal, he said he has become oncoming traffic lane. Fortunately, no cars were is normally 125/75, reached 190/120. much more organized than he was before. It is coming but his vehicle was still in It was a 200-mile drive to the hospital as if he is more intent on painting, setting up uncontrollable motion. It hit the side of the road and they arrived at about 12:30 a.m. Ludolf was appointments and ensuring that everything that and it’s right wheels landed on a grassy verge. examined for internal bleeding and any possible needs to be done gets done each day. While his The car continued to slide sideway and then breaks, including to his neck. During this time, body may still be suffering the aftermath, his flipped over on the driver’s side sending both he learned that Elvis had also been examined mind is sharper than ever. Perhaps he now men flying with their heads hitting the inside and was fine. All he suffered was a cut to his realizes that life is short and could be snatched roof. While they were wearing seatbelts, the hand. The doctors determined that Ludolf was away from him at any time. Perhaps he now airbags did not open. all right as well, except for three scratches on knows that life is a gift and he must cherish the Then the car skidded another 20 feet, the his head, and marks and a cut on his neck where gift of the NOW in each given moment. driver’s side door flew off and both the side the seatbelt had restrained him. Not one shard of Whatever the reasoning, Ludolf windows, both front and rear shattered into a glass was found on either of them. continues to be amazed by the photos of the thousand pieces. Then the front window “Colleagues came at 2:30 a.m. and took accident scene. He says none of them were smashed and both the roof and bonnet on the us to a hotel. At 3:15 a.m., accident reports were retouched, except to enhance the areas where driver’s side were damaged. In an unrelenting filed with the RCMP,” he explained. what I am calling “water spirits” seem to be. motion, the car continued to slide, hit something Feeling quite sore and exhausted at this point, Take a look for yourself and you’ll quickly and flipped from left to right the opposite way, and having showered at the hospital, Ludolf realize that Ludolf was truly blessed to have rolling twice. decided to get some rest. come through unscathed. [] Believe it or not, both Ludolf and Elvis “I slept with a paramedic watching over were still conscious at this point and very aware me and checking every half hour.” that this could be the end for them. Despite the late-night goings on, he “I was conscious and heard cracking noises,” awoke at 7 a.m. and got ready for a bus trip back Ludolf noted. to Winnipeg. The trip took pretty much all day The vehicle continued in reckless and he arrived home at about 6:30 p.m. feeling abandon traveling quite a distance across a very internally bruised and sore. His neck was grassy field and into a nearby stream. stiff and his shoulders hurt. “The car then seemed to fly through the air, take That same day, photos were taken at the off and land some 10 yards downstream facing scene of the accident and when Ludolf finally north on its wheels.” got to see them, he was stunned and mystified The next thing Ludolf recalled was as to how he and his friend had even survived. being inside the car in about five feet of water. With all of the times the car had flipped, as well “I looked at my passenger to see if he was okay as all the shattered glass, it seemed impossible. and then we both got out (of the car) in “We should not have walked away,” he said still mosquito and fly infested water.” amazed by the outcome. “It is like dropping 12 The vehicle had landed upright, so the eggs in a box when all but one or two two of them got out and made their way to the miraculously remain whole.” riverbank. They were both dirty, wet and cold, And he suspects that he got not to mention very shaken. They hoped that otherworldly help as well. someone – anyone, would come along to help “I have three scratches on my forehead them. This particular area is quite sparse, with where I felt some fingers move my head away