Very bad accident involving C-Train downtown

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Flabbibulin

According to CBC, the child didnt wander off... He was running with an older man (presumably a family member) trying to catch a departing train. Maybe they were not aware that another train would be around in a few minutes... Although you think that would be common sense.

Edit- some more details fom cbc-

-There were some language barriers in communicating with the family
-they were trying to catch an east bound somerset train.

I heard from another online eye-witness account that the Grandpa was in really rough shape.

[sclitheroe]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

I heard from another online eye-witness account that the Grandpa was in really rough shape.

Pre or post?

[Russic]

My little guy is 8 months old and this hit me really hard. I was downtown eating lunch with a friend. I didn't figure out what happened until I passed about 20 police cars. When I heard it really felt like I took a shot to the gut. I cannot fathom what that family is going through.

You simply cannot control your kid 100% of the time. Mine can barely move yet and he's already gotten away from me. At his age all he can really do is roll or topple over and it's still impossible to keep it from happening. You know how they say you can't leave a kid in the bathtub even for 2 seconds? Mine managed to go headfirst under water while I was reaching for a facecloth. Even when you're right there things still happen.

The sad fact is that we all did things like this growing up. Every day a parent accidentally misses a stop sign or loses sight of their kid on a playground and nothing happens. This is just a perfect storm of horrible events, and while it's tempting to pile on the guardian in this case for making that decision, I can only feel sadness for him.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by sclitheroe

Pre or post?

Post. Just a forum posting though, so who knows if they actually knew it was the grandpa or just an older guy that was very emotional after the accident...

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Ducay

I feel like you have no idea of how many "accidents" there are on subway lines.

Of course there are accidents on them. There's no 100% safe system but seems to me there is probably room for improvement on c train platforms. The questions need to be asked. If it can happen like it did today it could happen again, especially given how busy the platforms get at rush hour.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by Russic

My little guy is 8 months old and this hit me really hard. I was downtown eating lunch with a friend. I didn't figure out what happened until I passed about 20 police cars. When I heard it really felt like I took a shot to the gut. I cannot fathom what that family is going through.

You simply cannot control your kid 100% of the time. Mine can barely move yet and he's already gotten away from me. At his age all he can really do is roll or topple over and it's still impossible to keep it from happening. You know how they say you can't leave a kid in the bathtub even for 2 seconds? Mine managed to go headfirst under water while I was reaching for a facecloth. Even when you're right there things still happen.

The sad fact is that we all did things like this growing up. Every day a parent accidentally misses a stop sign or loses sight of their kid on a playground and nothing happens. This is just a perfect storm of horrible events, and while it's tempting to pile on the guardian in this case for making that decision, I can only feel sadness for him.

probably the most well thought out post in this thread. think of how many close calls you had as a kid that you can remember, i can think of at least half a dozen times i almost killed myself doing stupid things, and that's as a grade schooler with an awareness of my surroundings. there is no way to make life 100% safe, freak accidents will always happen

[V]

Originally Posted by nemanja2306

If I was a parent and going to the mall with my kid(s), I'd go there for reasonable amount of time. That means get what I need and be out of there as soon as possible. Or I wouldn't take them at all. But that's just me.

I'm sorry, I know it sounds patronizing, but any statement that start with "If I was a parent" is going to be completely irrelevant.

[Traditional_Ale]

I've noticed in this thread how many parents had acute reactions to this tragedy, detailing things like feeling they were punched in the gut, or cold chills, or the need to call home right away. While this situation is tragic and horrific, I suppose because I am not a parent I didn't get the same kind of intensity in my reaction.

Is it really that much more impactful, once you have your own kids, to read/hear stories like this? What was it like the first time you heard a tragic story about a child having just recently become a parent?

[Antithesis]

Yes, it really is. I felt so horribly for that mother.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

Is it really that much more impactful, once you have your own kids, to read/hear stories like this?

Yes.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Yes.

I was hoping you might expand on that a little?

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

I was hoping you might expand on that a little?

There's a saying: When you become a parent, everybody's children become your children.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Shazam

There's a total cheezeball saying: When you become a parent, everybody's children become your children.

fyp

[Traditional_Ale]

^ I've heard that. I suppose my curiosity is rooted in the idea I consider myself quite cerebral at dealing with tragedy and am wondering how/why that would change drastic enough for me to feel like I was "punched in the gut" or "having cold chills" if I had children? I'm not trying to play-down the horrific event today, but I sit here reading the story and then the thread feeling quite detached and calculating/emotionally regulating.

I don't get it?

[V]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

I was hoping you might expand on that a little?

When you read or hear the story you don't picture a stranger. You picture your own kid in a mangled mess beside the train. At least I do. And there's no way I can read this story without thinking of my kid in the place of the other kid.

And then you can't help but see yourself in the place of the mother.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

^ I've heard that. I suppose my curiosity is rooted in the idea I consider myself quite cerebral at dealing with tragedy and am wondering how/why that would change drastic enough for me to feel like I was "punched in the gut" or "having cold chills" if I had children? I'm not trying to play-down the horrific event today, but I sit here reading the story and then the thread feeling quite detached and calculating/emotionally regulating.

I don't get it?

You won't until you have your own kids.

[Jordan!]

Does every single thread need to have some BS argument?? All I see are people killing time here I don't believe any of you really care about what you're talking about.

/Outsider's 2 cents

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

Does every single thread need to have some BS argument?? All I see are people killing time here I don't believe any of you really care about what you're talking about.

/Outsider's 2 cents

Sorry if my question offends you, but I guess I'm happy to not be sick-minded enough to wander onto CP and randomly start a thread with a hypothetical scenario in which a three year old gets mangled between a C-train and a platform to discuss the psychological implications of tragedy and being a parent.

Its an opporotunity to discuss something that wouldn't normally come up, because who the hell really likes to think about this stuff unless it actually happens?

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

Does every single thread need to have some BS argument?? All I see are people killing time here I don't believe any of you really care about what you're talking about.

/Outsider's 2 cents

This is just like the time when you described touching boobs was like "bags of sand".

He's asking a legit question. Geez.

[Jordan!]

I just wanted to bring you both together!! Mission accomplished!