The Kind of Story GDI's Hate

[greekdee]

Okay, I have to share a story -- the kind that GDI's hate!

My husband, 15-year-old son and 2-year-old black lab, "Sammy the Bull", have been on a guy's trip these past few days since son had a five day winter break from school. They went to some family property way up high in the Tennessee hills, 7 hours from our Georgia home, for some ATV-ing, dirt biking and skeet shooting.

Right before they headed home today, husband decided to take our 800-pound ATV for one last ride. Long story short, he hit snow and the next thing he knew, he was on the ground, the ATV was airborne and coming right for him. An angel must have slowed it down some, and thank goodness he was wearing a chest protector, but still...collapsed right lung, fractured vertebrae and eight broken ribs. Results of some x-rays still pending, but Doc says he is out of danger. Looking at a minimum three days in the hospital, tho, and he's about 5 hours from home now.

At first, he did not realize how seriously he was injured. He, son and dog set out for Georgia, but a couple of hours on the road and my husband knew something was really wrong and that he needed to stop. He also knew, with a teenager and a dog along, he would need extra help wherever he stopped.

He made it to the town he went to college in and drove straight to his old fraternity house. With our son's help, he managed to walk into the house where several current members were present. My husband pointed to his picture in a 1983 composite and said, "That's me and I need help."

The guys got him to the emergency room and took our son and dog into their care. (I think our 15-year-old is ready to pledge! He said they were really cool guys who made him feel right at home and let him hang out with them!) My husband has some brothers from his era who still live in the area and asked the younger brothers to please call one.

They did, and within an hour, my husband was surrounded by brothers! More brothers and their wives arrived as the evening went on. They stayed with him through everything, got our son and dog squared away for the night and kept me updated, calling every single hour as I made arrangements to be able to head up early in the morning.

And people say going Greek is equal to buying friends? Of course, that is ignorance speaking, but even if it were true...it is no doubt one of the best lifetime investments a person can make! Tonight my husband was helped by brothers still in college, brothers from his era and even the guy who was chapter adviser back when my husband lived in the house!

If that's what "buying friends" gets you, then everybody needs to invest. Can I get an amen?????