3-y-o’s ‘divine instinct’ saved mom’s life

A mother is convinced that her three-year-old son’s insistence that she sit beside him in the back seat of the car is his “divine instinct” that saved her life when the vehicle was involved in an explosive smash-up.

“He normally beg and say, ‘Mommy, please sit’, but I normally just put him in the car seat and ignore the request. But, for some strange reason, he was just begging, like almost praying, ‘Please, come on that side’. And I did,” the mother told THE STAR.

She explained that, on that day, his plea felt different, and she decided to comply.

“He was just there hugging me the entire time and just [being] his happy self. The impact was on the left. I would usually be at the front passenger [side], but this time he opened the door at the right and told me to sit with him,” she said.

Her husband, who was driving at the time, recalled that the day of the incident had started like any other for the family.

“We were running errands and driving along the main road and a taxi driver, a Probox, was in the left lane and just dodged in front of me,” said.

A series of things followed: the airbag went off and they realised that it was defective; an electrical fire started; the entire dashboard exploded; and a piece of metal went straight through the roof of the vehicle.

“If that got one of us, the story would have been different,” he recalled.

After the impact, the family had to quickly escape the vehicle which was eventually engulfed in fire.

“There was a lot of smoke, so the first instinct was just to get out. Sadly enough, the guy just drove away. We didn’t see his licence plate or anything,” the husband said.

For his wife, days after the incident, her mind remained fixed on what could have been.

“The outcome would definitely be different. When I looked at the car, the dashboard blew and there was a lot of the glass on that side. So probably I wouldn’t be here today,” she said.

The husband said that the incident could have been avoided if the taxi driver had simply waited.

“We know the culture of taxi man and they will bully you off the road. So my assumption is that he was pulling out to go cross the road. But I couldn’t stop, not that I was going too fast, but I just turned right to evade him, but he collided to the front of the car,” he said.

The father said the family had owned the second-hand vehicle for more than six years. But, now reflecting on the accident and the extensive damage caused by what he believes was a defective airbag, he is imploring motorists to have their vehicles checked.We didn’t check the airbags ... but, when we saw how it exploded, I remember there was massive recall for some Toyota vehicles and so I am urging everyone to just check their airbags.”

Still, what remains most heartbreaking for him is the fact that, given the nature of the accident, the other driver left the scene.

“There was no urge from him to see if anybody died.”

However, the mother is grateful for what she believes was the divine instinct of her three-year-old son.

“Listen to your child, because, if I hadn’t listened, I wouldn’t be here today. I realise there is a true and living God that can speak through your child. He saved my life and I want to give God thanks.”