Chris and Lori Cable were a happily married couple with three children under the age of six on the day Lori got into a car accident that would take the lives of their three children. Lori and her mother, Cindy, had taken the three children, 5-year old Kyle, 4-year old Emma, and 2-year old Katie to the mall for Kyle's birthday. On their way home they hit a ton of traffic on the freeway. It was then that the children's lives would come to an end.
A truck traveling 55 mph, and carrying 40,000 pounds of cargo, slammed into the the back of Lori's minivan while she stopped because of traffic on the freeway. Lori was knocked unconscious and the children were severely injured. The five of them were split up and taken to different hospitals. It was then that Chris received a call while at work notifying him of the accident. He quickly arrived at the hospital where Lori and Cindy were being treating to find out that both his daughters had passed away. Kyle was in bad condition so Chris and Lori rushed to the hospital where he was being treated to be near his bedside. He was brain-dead and after tearful and painful goodbyes, they took him off life support. "I held my hand on his chest until his heart stopped beating and he was gone," Chris told Oprah.
In the days, weeks, months to follow Chris and Lori had to pick out three caskets, they had to reserve the plots where their children would be buried, they had to somehow get used to a house filled with deafening quiet when they used to hear singing and laughter. They coped and grieved. They attended counseling and promised each other that they would not commit suicide, leaving the other completely alone.
A few months after their children's deaths, they decided they wanted to have more children. After going through the in vitro process, Chris and Lori were told they were going to have triplets -- two girls and one boy. I would be lying if I sat here and said (wrote) that I did not have shivers up my spine as I heard them speak these words. I have goosebumps again just thinking about it.
At this point in the show, they brought the 2 1/2-year old triplets out onto the stage. The resemblance between them and their older sisters and brother was remarkable. I continued to experience chills as I sat there and watched this amazing story unfold.
It was then that I had possibly the biggest reality check of my life. I'm twenty-two, nearly twenty-three, years old. I've had to experience hardships and tragedies during my life, sure -- who hasn't? But sitting here listening to this story made me realize how truly lucky I really am. I have such an incredible life and I don't appreciate it nearly as much as I should.
I made a vow to myself that the next time I feel frustrated and upset because my train is delayed ten minutes, making me get home ten minutes later than usual, or someone cuts me off on Route 4, or the next time I feel infuriated at the tourists in Manhattan because they think it's acceptable to stop in the middle of the sidewalk during the morning walk rush-hour, I will think twice. I will remember that in the grand scheme of things, these situations that might have otherwise made me waste a significant amount of energy by focusing on negativity really don't matter. They don't mean anything. Life is way too short to waste time being angry over something minuscule and Chris and Lori's inspiring story reminded me of that.
I urge all of you to try and do the same -- think twice the next time you're ready to explode. Think of Lori and Chris and the other families out there facing similar tragedies that haven't been featured on a TV show. Think twice for them and for yourselves and appreciate every single minute of every day, even the bad ones because I'm sure Lori and Chris would be willing to experience a lifetime of tough days if it meant having their children back.
Lex
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