Daughter’s Quick Thinking Turns Tragic Traveling Home Nightmare Into a Miracle
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Traveling to and from shows, rodeos, jackpots, competitions, etc. is by the far the scariest part surrounding the equine industry. Unfortunately, Brett, Stacy, and their daughter Mia experienced their worst nightmare.
Saturday, January 18, the family spent a joyous day with their friends and watching Mia win a buckle. After the day was done, they loaded up to make the short 2.5 hour trek home from Poplarville, Miss. to Pride, La.
Seconds after checking his mirrors and seeing nobody, they felt the crash of a vehicle hitting the side of their truck. Stacy was in the passenger seat and remembers looking over her shoulder to see a white truck push them off the road.
Everything happened quickly. The family was now flipped upside down, trapped, with water rushing into the cab. The cab was crushed and completely indulged in water and mud.
In an interview with WAFB, Stacy said, "All I kept thinking was we're going to drown and burn."
Then, in the most calming and reassuring voice, Stacy and Brett hear Mia, 14, say, "Don't panic. I'm going to get y'all out."
Mia was then able to kick the window out, barefoot, and Brett ripped the console back (it had been crushed by the roof). Brett and Stacy were then able to army crawl there way to the backseat and follow Mia out the back window.
If this act alone wasn't heroic enough, Mia immediately went running for the trailer. It had become detached when the truck started to roll. The trailer was dangling over the canal.
"I couldn't hear whiskey moving, and I was terrified of the condition she would then find him," mom Stacy said.
Stacy was pleading for Mia to wait for her parents. but she dove into the canal and swam over to her horse.
As they got closer to the trailer, Brett and Stacy could hear Mia comforting Whiskey and making sure he knew she was going to get him out of there safe and sound -- and she was right.
Mia then got the stud door open, turned Whiskey around, and walked him to the back of the trailer. The two of them then SWAM out of the canal and to safety. Whiskey is expected to make a full recovery and the team could be competing within the month.
"I'm a critical care nurse and Brett is a retired fire fighter. And I'm here to tell everyone neither of us felt prepared to be in that situation ourselves. We were helpless. Our daughter saved us," Stacy says.
Everybody walked away with minor cuts and bruises.
This was a hit and run accident. While it could have ended much worse, the family is still looking for answers. The truck will have damage to the left side and black paint from their truck. The Gilpin family is so grateful for everybody who stepped up to help them in their time of need and are grateful for the continued support here.