Jill Smokler, AKA Scary Mommy
@scarymommy
Latest posts by Jill Smokler, AKA Scary Mommy (see all)
- The Disney Reveal - May 14, 2013
- Met My Match At Disney… - May 13, 2013
- Sunday’s Baltimore Sun - May 11, 2013
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Two years ago, my daughter Brooke had just woken up from a nap. She was walking in front of me through the living room– I remember watching the cute little skip in her step. I followed behind her and sat down at our computer desk in the hallway right next to her brother’s bedroom. She walked into the bedroom, and then I heard the crash – our lives would change FOREVER. I remember looking into the doorway and seeing the bottom of the dresser, but not Brooke. I panicked when I realized she was underneath the dresser. I was only able to partially lift the dresser myself because I had just had a major back surgery. My effort had gotten the weight of the dresser off of her head, and I was hanging on with all my strength. I was screaming for my husband, Matt. He was there instantly and literally threw the dresser from her into the corner of my son’s room. I saw her reaction…she shuttered or jerked a little and then I saw the blood coming from her left ear.
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I can vividly remember that feeling of utter despair – the thoughts of fear and anxiety rushing through my mind as I was relaying the information to the 911 operator. Somehow the police and fire department arrived within minutes, and we were faced with choosing which family member would ride in the ambulance. I don’t know how but my husband decided that I should, and then we were heading toward Dell Children’s Hospital. When we arrived, I remember feeling out of body – feeling like I was watching it all happen. I saw myself standing there bawling, and watched my child’s clothing being cut off of her body. I remember trying to speak to the doctors, to say I was her mommy – to please help her. One doctor spoke up and said, “Mom, we will talk with you later” – the look of complete concentration on his face not wavering. My legs just sort of collapsed as I slumped into a chair – feeling helpless. I sat for maybe a second, and then I jumped up. My mind was reeling. I had to call my mom and dad – where was Matt? Oh my God, this was really happening. Oh my God!!
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Brooke had air in her brain, but the initial prognosis was that the brain looked good. We were given a window of 72 hours. The air in her brain was due to 3 different skull fractures. With the skull fractures they were concerned about fluid leakage which could cause an infection of cerebral fluid….causing meningitis. She had shattered the orbital bones above her eyes and had broken a bone very close to the auditory nerve in her ear. Despite all of this, she seemed to be doing well according to the doctors. If all went well with her brain, we would still have to have surgery to repair the tear in her dura (the membrane around her brain) and reconstruct the bones above her eyes. The only way to perform this surgery would be a craniotomy–an ear to ear incision to enter through the top of the skull. The neurosurgeon would protect her brain and repair the torn membrane and the plastic surgeon would repair her orbital bones. Without the surgery she could lose her eye sight or suffer from double vision and/or be facially deformed or even die from infection. We had no choice. I heard brain and skull, and I lost it.
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Two years after the accident, she has miraculously made a complete, 100% recovery, but I haven’t. I am steel reeling from the emotional after effects of Brooke’s accident. This all happened because she was reaching for a Barbie doll at the top of her dresser – a dresser that was never anchored to the wall. When I walked into the room, after we came home from the hospital, there was still blood on the floor. I walked up to that dresser and put my foot in the bottom of it. It tipped so easily. At that moment, in frustration I pushed at the dresser with all my might, as if I could transfer my pain to the source. I took my hands and hit it in anger, until they were turning red and trembling with pain. I knew though, it was not the dresser’s fault but OURS. A simple attachment of the dresser to the wall would have prevented what our family went through. Why had we not simply attached it to the wall?
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As a parent, your worst fear is for something to happen to your child. You are their protector, and your job is to make sure that nothing happens to them. But, accidents do happen. Things do happen that are out of our control. However, nothing can prepare you for how it feels when you see your child laying on a hospital bed broken, bruised and in pain. The thought of losing her just tore into my entire self – it was overwhelming. And, the guilt, why did we not have that dresser strapped to the wall? It was such a simple thing.
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Brooke did amazing during and after the surgery – her recovery truly a miracle. After the surgery her swelling was minimal and her bruising around her eyes became her pink and purple eye shadow. The doctors had told us to expect her to be unrecognizable – but, it was our sweet Brooke (just with eye shadow and well, no hair). She was a sport about her new hair-do and she was even more beautiful with her “Princess Crown.” That is what we called her zigzag, ear to ear incision – her “Princess Crown.” She was such a trooper, even through all the pain she always smiled. There is not a day that goes by that I do not thank God for letting her stay in my life – He let our angel stay, and for that I will spread this message.
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So, I am on a mission – a journey so to speak – to raise awareness to the dangers of unsecured furniture. We are so blessed to have been given a second chance… not every family is so lucky. The staggering statistic that I can’t get out of my mind is that a child is severely injured or DIES every 2 weeks from a furniture tip-over accident. This type of accident does not discriminate – it can happen to any age parents or ANYONE that might have a young child enter into their home or place of business. I urge you to take the proper precautions to secure your furniture to the wall…NOW. Just like buckling your child’s seat belt, installing furniture safety straps could save their lives.
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No family should go through what we have.
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{ 137 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh my goodness. I am so thankful that God protected your sweet baby. May she continue to grow beautifully! I had no idea you could even attach a dresser to a wall. My baby is 12 now, but we want more, so I will have to look into that. Thanks for sharing your story.
Life with Kaishon recently posted..‘Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!’ ~Albert Einstein
You are so welcome! It is something that many have let me know they have not EVER even heard of doing -(attaching their furniture to the wall). It was however, something that the hospital immediately let us know we should have done. So, I want parents to know this life-saving information so that an accident like Brooke’s can be avoided. I don’t want another family to go through what we did, so I am on a mission to spread this message. For more information about where to find furniture straps and their importance, please see my most recent blog post (link below). As a way to spread this message, Brooke and I make beautiful jewelry together as well. Hugs, Laurie & Brooke
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
Oh my. Oh my. I will be on this tomorrow. God bless you and your family.
amory/irish twins momma recently posted..How to talk to your kids about the death of a pet
That is the response that I need!! A great place to find these life-saving straps is amazon.com (search for furniture straps). I have found that furniture straps are not readily available at our local stores like Target, Walmart, Home Depot or sadly Babies R’ Us. Not sure why? but I am working to change that! Thank you, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Thanks for my blog my angels!!
I spoke with the manager at a Babies R Us near our house and they gave us the anchor set that comes with the display items…when I asked why they did not sell the different anchor kits, his response was “they are not big sellers”…seriously?? And the anchor kits that come with some of the furniture is a joke…thankfully I have found some different blogs and am able to find the best anchors for our furniture…we have several heavy items that I swear no one can tip over but I KNOW they can all tip…heavy doesn’t equal tip proof :( So glad Little Brooke is doing great! Thanks for spreading the word…some of my friends have scoffed when I started talking about anchoring furniture (a facebook post about a child not surviving a dress fall prompted me to start the process) but I will keep on talking about it in hopes someone will listen and help prevent such a tragedy.
Oh my god. Thank you for sharing this. It happened to my mom when she was little. I’m so glad this little angel is okay.
Pish Posh recently posted..What Was Your Dream?
Thank you a million times for sharing this. And God bless your little girl, what a trooper she is xoxo
Jessica@MakingHomeSweeter recently posted..Outfit Inspiration
I just added furniture anchors to my to-do list for tomorrow. Im getting them and attaching them immediately. Praise God that your sweet angel has made a full recovery. Thank you for sharing this!!
Thank God and his angels for protecting yours!
This very nearly happened to my son a few years ago. But for an adjacent toy bin…..and my mom couldn’t understand why I was losing my sh*t right after it happened. He got bumped by the drawers but the toy bin caught it as it tipped.
Thank you for sharing such a terrible time in your life in order to save lives!!
*Giant hugs*
Headacheslayer recently posted..Welcome to The Crafty Angel!
Hugs back at you! And, I have heard your version many times – that something caught the dresser and the baby was just underneath playing. I really think every once and awhile they have a sweet angel who places something there to prevent the massive damage. I appreciate your support. It has taken a lot to share this, but I feel like Brooke’s Story needs to be told. We knew about the straps, thought about the straps…even talked about them AND they just got put on the “to-do” list. I am hoping people will read this and immediately take some form of action – place an order on amazon at least or call a local store to see if they have in stock. Someday, I hope to be able to just give them out (Brooke’s Angel Straps) – we will see, it’s good to dream!!
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Thanks for my blog my angels!!
I saved your etsy shop and hope to get a necklace :)
Perhaps you could look into things like the Pepsi challenge that gives away grant money to projects like yours–it is certainly a worthwhile cause that I would definitely support and vote for!
It is good to dream–and I am overjoyed you can do it with your sweet girl by your side!!
Headacheslayer recently posted..Welcome to The Crafty Angel!
The photo you posted is so heart-wrenching, the zig-zag crown that a mother could never imagine seeing on her larger-than-life daughter. I am a doctor, and my heart breaks every time I treat children with life-threatening injuries, but the worst types are the easily preventable ones, and comforting the parents waiting outside. I always go home and hug my own children tighter…. You are doing a remarkable thing xxxx
Thank you so much for your support! Thank you for offering comfort to those parents with children that are in harms way on a daily basis – we had some amazing doctors and nurses that helped us through this horrific event. If those doctors did not show much the same compassion, we would have crumbled! I know I can never repay them for saving our daughter, but I can sure mention how FABULOUS Dr. George, Dr. Kelley and ALL the staff at Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin, Texas were with our daughter Brooke. Just simply amazing – I owe them my life!! Hugs, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Thanks for my blog my angels!!
My son pulled a VERY small table on top of himself when he was 11 months old. His injuries were minor compared to your daughter’s, but there was a lot of blood, stitches, and surgery several years later. These days I sell furniture and find myself telling my story a lot when I get the question, “Do I really need to attach this bureau to the wall?” People have a lot of excuses: “I don’t know how”, “We’re living in a rental”, and the one that makes me nuts, “MY child will never be left alone”. It’s easy to do, it only takes a few minutes, and it only takes seconds for a kid to hurt himself.
Thank you for sharing your story. I really hope people listen.
Victoria KP recently posted..Friday Fiction: Toast
Thank you so much for sharing this. It’s amazing how things can change in the blink of an eye and how easily avoided most accidents can be. Thank you…
Rebecca @ Unexplained X2 recently posted..Talking on a Tuesday
You are so welcome! And YES it ONLY takes a second – my husband was within 10 feet, and I was in the hallway right there so close to her. I watched her walk into the room. I have heard people dismiss the need for furniture straps, saying they watch their child so it’s not necessary or the furniture is too heavy to tip. It’s just not something to risk. Why not take the worry out of it and just secure the furniture? Hoping our story changes some minds!! Thanks, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
What courage to share this story. Thank you for the warning. Your baby girl is so beautiful!
Mel recently posted..Heavy
Brooke, thank you for sharing the story of your sweet daughter.
When my grandchildren were little, I anchored all the bookcases to the wall….Now I realize that was not enough….I reposted your story on FB so many other people (listen up grandparents) will go about securing their furniture. Bless you and your family.
I’m proud to call Laurie a friend and so glad she’s able to share her story here!!! Laurie and Brooke both are angels to spread this message!
Evin Cooper recently posted..My Pinteresting #mealplan ..
I am SO very glad that your sweet baby recovered from this terrible ordeal! Thank you very much for sharing your story to help prevent this from happening to anyone else. Amazing.
Rebeccah recently posted..Newt Gingrich Is Not An Orthopedist
I’m so glad she’s recovered and back to her full life. What a horrible, and horribly preventable tragedy. Much love, and thank you for sharing.
Not Supermom recently posted..Buddies
WOW…. Thank you for this. I just showed my daughters the picture of your Brooke and how important it is NOT climb things in the home. A needed ‘requirement’ in homes for our children to be safe. Thank goodness Brooke fully recovered!
Vanessa Jubis recently posted..Once upon a ‘daughter’…
Your story brought tears to my eyes, especially the pain you felt when returning to your home and seeing the dresser, and knowing this could have been prevented. My children are now past the age where this is a concern, but I have so many friends with young children—especially children who love to climb—that will benefit from hearing your story. Thank you for sharing your story—I will tell it to everyone I know.
a Book for My Daughter recently posted..Chore Wars: How I Got My Kids to Clean the House
Thank you for that!! To spread this message is so important to me. I just don’t want this to happen to another family. Sadly, just last week a 2 year old died from the same exact accident as Brooke’s. It’s hard to hear…so, spreading Brooke’s Story is the the only way I know to reach people. I can show them images that will make them think and not want this to EVER happen to their child, but I still can’t make them secure their furniture. Just hoping, maybe sharing, will make them take that next step to making their home safe. Hugs, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
Thank you for sharing, I’m so glad your daughter is ok. I’ve shared this on FB, I hope it helps prevent other tragedies. Thanks!
Joanna {Baby Gators Den} recently posted..Simultaneously Healthy Siblings = the Holy Grail of Parenting?
Thank you for sharing….the more who share this for us, the more we will reach. Thank you for your support!! Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
I am so glad she is okay! She is totally adorable. I am going to be ordering some furniture anchors today. I have been meaning to for our new fish tank, but same as you did, just hadn’t gotten around to it. My second daughter is shaping up to be much more of a climber than my first child ever was.
Katy recently posted..The Bad Mom Christmas and Why We Should be Labeled Insane
Thank you so much for sharing. I am going to bold my son’s book shelf right now. He already has disabilities, I don’t think I could live if I allowed that dresser to fall because I didn’t secure it. I am so glad your little angel is doing well and that you are speaking up for safety.
When my youngest was 2 we had a similar situation. She pulled the dresser on top of herself, but thankfully only sustained bruising. It is a miracle because the day before we removed a heavy television off the dresser. We anchored all furniture after that
Thank you so much for sharing this story. I’m sending this post to my husband, especially because our daughter is always trying to climb on our dresser. I think I will show her the pictures of your daughter too… I dont want to scare her, but then maybe she’ll understand more why its so dangerous. I’m so happy to hear that your daughter is doing wonderfully, and I hope that someday the peace will be brought back to your mind. <3
Lindsey recently posted..Poker Face?
I have worried about this. I also have bookcases that I worry she will try to climb at some point and will tip over. I’ll look into these straps ASAP.
Sili recently posted..Monday Musings: Choosing
I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old that are BOTH climbers. Wrongly, I keep thinking nothing like this will ever happen to MY kids. Thank you for opening my eyes.
I won’t wait until tomorrow, I will anchor my entertainment center and their dressers, and everything else that could tip over. This is the harsh reality that I needed to hear and see to motivate me.
Thanks for writing this, and a giant hug to you and your daughter. I’m so glad she’s still around and you’re able to share such a strong message with us.
I have chills after reading this. I have always tried to tell friends and family about how important it is to secure furniture to the wall… practically pleading with several people with huge and precarious furniture and several children in the home… like PLEASE. Just drill some damn holes in the wall!! What will it take for people to listen?? Posts like these, for one. THANK YOU. And, hugs.
Sarah recently posted..Needed: Mommy Remote Control
Holy God. My son’s dresser is not secured to the wall. I am freaking out about leaving him alone for nap now!!!!! Will buy something to fasten it to the wall immediately!!!!!
Oh! How scary. Makes you count your blessings.
This story brought tears to my eyes. I know from personal experience that there is nothing scarier than almost losing your child. We now have a 1 year old who has decided to climb and we will be anchoring our furniture this weekend! I will also be sharing this on FB so that other Mom’s I know will see this.
Thank you for sharing your story!
Steph @ DairyFreeOmnivore recently posted..Cranberry Apple Bread
Thanks so much for sharing your story. We had a scary situation somewhat similar just a couple of weeks ago – my 5-year old had crawled under his bed and was kicking it, and the mattress and box-spring shifted just enough to move off the supports and fall on top of him. It’s one of those “lifetime” beds that was his crib then a toddler bed and now a full-size – you would think it would hold together better. Thank God, there were no serious injuries – just a really scared mommy and little boy. Needless to say, we don’t have to explain why we don’t play under beds anymore.
Wow what a wake up call. So glad she is ok. Thank you for sharing your story. I know this will help save many lives!
Tina @ Life Without Pink recently posted..5 Tips For Using Social Media To Land a Job
I have had worries over this as well. My son (2 years) pulls the top drawer open on his dresser to pull himself up then grab whatever is on top of the dresser. I have moved it into the closet so it can’t fall over on him but God knows it still scares me.
Thank you for sharing such an important message!! I’m so glad your daughter has made a perfect recovery. I believe everything happens for a reason and as scary as it was, you would not be advocating had that not happened! And you are saving lives now! Thank you.
OH my! That is one amazing story that brought tears to my eyes. I’m so happy that Brooke is OK. We had our daughter’s dresser fall on her and her little friend one day, but the drawers popped open and stopped it from completely falling on them until we go there. We anchored it to the wall immediately – but have since moved it and not re-anchored it. I will be sending my husband up to do it right now! Thank you for the reminder!!
Kasey@AllThingsMamma recently posted..How To Make Tissue Paper Pom Poms
Oh my, what a horrible experience! I’m so glad she is okay now. We have all our bookshelves and such anchored to the wall, so I don’t know why I never thought to do the same with the dressers!
Thank you for sharing! Our toy chest is bolted to the wall but this is anothe excellent reminder that we can never be too careful when it comes to protecting our children!
Chanale recently posted..A Monsey Moment Take Two
Speaking about this and sharing it with other parents is incredible…thank you.
Something similar happened to my sister’s 1-1/2 year old, but thankfully, there was no damage at all.
Natalie recently posted..My Life In A List!
I am so so very happy for you that this story had a happy ending. I can’t even imagine that pain – emotional and physical – you all endured. Thanks for sharing and reminding all of the parents out there, including me, that sometimes the little things can cause big damage!
Kim recently posted..Colorful Bobby Pin Set, Button Bobbby Pin, Set of 4, Bright Colors, Purple, Pink, Green, Flowers, Cabochons
2 days before christmas my son jumped off a coffee table being naughty and his head hit a coffee mug. It shattereed and he received 56 stitches. I still have the mummy guilts and think if only. This reminded me so much of our ordeal yet showeed me ours paled in comparison. Great work spreading your message I agree wholeheartedly.
debb
Oh my goodness!! I can’t imagine the pain and emotional turmoil you and your family went through during this. And sweet little Brooke, she is absolutely beautiful. I’m so glad to hear she is doing well.
I was always terrified of this and we did not anchor everything and I knew we should have. We were lucky, but not smart.
Jessica, The Debt Princess recently posted..What NOT to Do: Fail to Save
It’s not just the furniture in your own home u have to worry about. When my daughter was a day shy of her 1st birthday the nightstand in the hotel we were staying in fell on her. It was the scariest sight to see her little body under there. ThankGod she only suffered from a cut, bruised lip from the phone that hit her. We filed a complaint w/ the hotel and they said their engineers would look into it. The design of the nightstand was completely flawed where the base was thinner than the top and any pressure on the edge made it tip. So please be careful in hotels too where baby proofing is not on their priority list!!!
Best wishes for all your efforts!
I THINK you can find those furniture straps at your local IKEA.
They give them out with alot of their furniture.
Best of luck.
Natalie, we recently bought some kids toy organizers at IKEA and they came with the “L” bracket, but in my husband’s opinion (he’s not a professional, but has anchored our other furniture/shelves etc) it’s not enough to hold, I’m sure they’ve tested, but it’s only a few extra dollars to get some stronger tools to hold the shelves in place, totally worth it for us.
It is nice however that they are included, a lot of places don’t even think about that aspect.
Jennifer B. recently posted..Thank you Martin Luther King Jr.
Laurie,
So gland your little Brooke is ok. Thank you for sharing this, it is very timely for us. I am right now in the middle of assembling a furniture set from Ikea. Just last night I asked my husband if he would help me anchor the units to the wall (it comes with a set of wall anchors for each piece). He said we didn’t need to as it didn’t seem tippy and he didn’t want holes in the wall. I feel now that seeing your post is an omen and I will be anchoring these to the wall myself. Who cares about a hole in the plaster!
Thank you for sharing this. I honestly used to look at the wall tether things and think it was so unnecessary, because how could it ever fall? I cast each one aside. But it’s situations like yours that we never think about happening and I’m glad to say it’s made me think twice (especially about the rickety old china cabinet that sways and shakes when the kids dance in front of it). And I’m so glad your daughter recovered; she is gorgeous!
Arnebya recently posted..I Don’t Know You
Oh my goodness!! I’m so glad she’s ok, but that’s so scary that that could happen to ANYONE! I’ll definitely look into furniture attachments….I didn’t realize how dangerous they really are. Thanks for sharing and I’m so glad she’s fully recovered.
Ashley Perrin recently posted..The first time I saw…
We are extremely diligent with the safety of our home, but no matter how much you think you baby proof there is always the risk that you forgot something. I feel for this family and am so thankful that God gave Brooke the chance to live and her parents the opportunity to tell their story, helping other families in the process.
If nothing else hopefully it’ll make us as parents, take a closer look at what we feel is safe, because children are a precious gift and worth the extra time/money/caution and care.
Jennifer B. recently posted..Thank you Martin Luther King Jr.
We live in California so we strap furniture to walls for earthquakes. Thanks for the reminder, though. We have a new TV and need to secure that.
I’m so glad your daughter made a complete recovery. This happened to my friend’s son when he was a toddler and he is now paralyzed.
Thank god she was ok! I feel really stupid saying this but our nursery furniture came withh wall secure straps and I have never put them on. My daughter is now 3 and I do catch her climbing on the changing table dresser at least once a day ! We now have an infant who will be pulling himself up on things soon so I think I need to get this taken care of. I really worry about our tv’s, they are very large flat screens and sit on entertainment stands that my daughter stands on (I shoe her off right away ) but also when the baby is mobile will probably pull one.I can’t put on the wall so I am now wondering if they make secure straps?!
My children are older but I am reposting to alert my many friends who are young mothers. So glad your beautiful daughter has made a full recovery. And thank you for sharing your story to prevent this from happening to another family.
When I first read your story, I went home that night and told my husband he needed to secure some things around the house and told him why. It was done almost instantly. Thank you for the reminder of how precious our children really are.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing. I have a 9 month old who is pulling himself up and all over the place. I keep a careful eye on him, but accidents can happen. Definitely checking on the secure straps tonight to make sure they are working properly.
Ashley S recently posted..Day 1 and 2 of Cinch ~ #cinchspiration #getfit2012
Ashley, yes, it’s never too early! My son is just 10 months old and pulled a chest over last week. Thankfully, it did not fall on him, and he’s okay. But I can’t stop thinking what could have happened if it had fallen on him.
My daughter climbed our dresser to put the tv on in our bedroom when she was 3, it tipped over and the only reason it didn’t crush her is because my bed was so close to the dresser that the footboard caught it before it could fall on her. Horrible to think of…so glad your daughter is ok.
Thank you so much for sharing your story- God Bless your little girl, so very glad she is ok! What a scary story- I hope many families read it and pass the word on. On Christmas morning when our twins were four we had just finished opening presents when our little one went up to his room to get something ….moments later we heard a crash and flew up the stairs only to find his dresser overturned on top of our Jack and him screaming. The scariest moment of our lives. Luckily he was ok and I think I was even more shook up than he. But sine then (our boys are ten now) I will never forget that day and have warned all of our friends with young children of this seldom thought of danger. Thanks again for sharing, so glad your beautiful little girl is doing so well.
Our new furniture came with wall straps. My husband didn’t feel like attaching them. He’s sleeping on the couch until he reads this and attaches the blasted straps. Thank you for sharing your story.
I’m so glad she’s okay. Thanks for sharing your story. We had our first furniture tipping scare last week. My son is just 10 months old but somehow managed (in the two minutes I left him in his room while I went to the bathroom) to pull over his chest of drawers. The chest was completely ruined, but we were very blessed in that Jaxon did not end up underneath the chest. We threw the chest out, and when we do end up buying a replacement, it will be secured to the wall. You think your child is too young, or not strong enough, but it can still happen. Again, I’m so glad your little girl is okay.
Brandi Elam recently posted..Jaxon at 11 Months!
I’m so happy you are to spread your story far and wide. Jill is awesome for featuring you! I’m so happy your dream of getting this story out is coming true!
I live you girl!!
Thanks my sweet angel Cilla, even from the hospital bed you are cheering me on. I am so happy to have met you on this journey and to have you as a special friend and supporter. You have helped me to get things going, and I will be forever grateful! Gotta mention how proud I am of your strength in fighting this battle to repair the broken rods in your back – you are truly amazing. Everyone, check out Priscilla aka Wheel Chair Mommy (that’s the name of her blog) – she’s a true inspiration. Priscilla, you get better, k? I will be by to see you very soon! HUGS, Love ya, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
When I was around two years old, something similar happened to me, but luckily I only bit through my lip. My mom says it was the most frightening moment of her life – and she lived through attacks in WWII!
We attach all of our climbable furniture to the wall, even the low furniture. I’m so glad to hear the happy ending to this story!
Kristin recently posted..Warning: Feeling Groovy (or Warm Fuzzies are So Not Me, but there you go)
WOW! What a nightmare. Thank you so much for sharing this story. It’s not something that’s top-of-mind for most moms and we need to be aware of it.
We have a book shelf that is very tempting to the little one, I’m sure. This is a great reminder for me to secure it.
Ali recently posted..It Don’t Matter If You’re Black or White
I totally get how you feel that she has recovered but you are still there. I am caregiver and advocator to 3 survivors of TBI. My son was shot in the head 3 years ago in a freak accident and is now surviving with a brain injury and epilepsy. He has made an almost 100% recovery also (with a few minor deficiencies) but there are days where I am right there in the hospital not being able to process it all.
We tell everyone the same ideas(buckling up etc) with helmets & concussions!
jodi recently posted..It’s ‘Blue Monday’…
Thank God she’s alright! I can’t begin to imagine how you felt. :( My youngest pulled his dresser (tall one with 5 drawers) over on himself when he was about 18 months old and it scared the $%^& out of me. That’s the one time I was *truly* thankful that we’re poor and have crummy furniture–it’s a super cheap (and light weight) dresser made out of that plywood/sawdust/particle board stuff with wood veneer on top. Hooray for cheap furniture! Not trying to make light of the situation, but I truly was glad it was such a cheap piece of furniture. If he had pulled my dresser over on himself, we would have had a situation very similar to yours.
Thank you for sharing this, she is such a gorgeous girl!
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As I read your article I cried as I can only imagine the pain your babygirl went through~thank God she is doing well now and I will most definately pass this on to the 400 some odd parents on my FB page. Awareness is key! Children climb and we don’t even realize the dangers in our own homes. God Bless you and your family and with his grace it will only be a nightmare to you in the future. Thank you for sharing, Veyonna
Veyonna,
Yes, it was tough as a parent to see her in pain. She did amazing though, she was such a trooper. Once we got past the critical days (the first 3), she would smile, even through the pain. Losing her hair did not phase her. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!! Those of you that are sharing on facebook and twitter with your friends and family are reaching so many people that I could not without your help. I really appreciate that:)
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
Such a heartwrenching story with a beautiful ending. I’m so glad she’s doing well. When my daughter was barely older than 1 a TV fell on her. I don’t know how, but she came away with just a nasty bruise on her cheek. The thought of what could have happened still haunts me. Thank you for sharing this.
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I am so sorry your family had to go through such a scary experience and I thank you for sharing your story. This is the first time I’d heard of securing furniture and thought the thought had crossed my mind, it had been fleeting and not something i dwelt on. That’s changed now. Thank you again for sharing your story and God willing preventing other families from experiencing the same horror. Your daughter is a beautiful little thing.
This is such an important reminder. My husband just had a little boy come through his ER whose skull was crushed when a TV fell on him. We have been praying daily that he is able to recover. It happens. It happens a lot. It opened our eyes about how lucky we were because we never attached our furniture and it easily could have been one of our children. Thank you for sharing your story.
I am so so so so happy this has a good ending. I’ve just emailed my husband to anchor bookcases and dressers tonight.
Thank you for sharing your story, I’m sure you saved someone from going through the same thing.
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This has happened with both of my children. Both times were terrifying. You would think that I would learn from the first time. It seems that no matter how many times you tell them not to climb they do it anyway.
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Thank you for posting your story – I hope all parents take heart and walk about checking their furniture. One more item – in our area there have been three deaths in the past few months from large, old model televisions falling off tables onto young children. One story was in our paper just today. If anyone has the kind of t.v. with a tube in it (not a flat screen), make sure that it is not in a position to fall off a table, media stand, or any other piece of furniture. Most of the weight from those old sets is in the front, so it doesn’t take much to tip them forward and onto a child.
I agree completely about the importance of furniture security. I have a daycare in my home and while I hate drilling holes in the walls (I am a frequent furniture rearranger), I cannot fathom the thought of one of my own 4 or another child being hurt in my care. My younger brother was severely injured (full recovery) when he was learning to walk. He crawled out of the room we were all in and used a tall drop down desk to pull himself up to stand, pulling the whole unit on top of himself. I was the one sent to check on him (I was about 4) and I found him on the ground with the desk on top of him, blood on the floor. He had cracked his skull open. Had I not been through that, I don’t think it would seem as important to me now. BUT IT IS and should be for everyone.
Thank you for spreading this message. When I was a child our good friend’s son died after a bookcase in the basement crushed him and he was 12. Not just babies but grown children are broken by large objects falling. This message must be spread as so many people neglect to do this.
Thank you again and I am SO glad that Brooke is okay!
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Thank you for spreading this message. I have twin daughters (22mo.) and all of my furniture is secured to the wall. Easiest way that I have found is to use small “eye-hook” screws and some zip ties. Make sure to find a stud in the wall, or use an insert; drywall will not hold a tipping dresser. Glad that Brooke has made a full recovery. Wow. Every day is a gift.
Your daughter is such a cutie! I’m so glad she’s ok.
I live in earthquake country, so it’s second nature to secure the furniture to the wall. I also secure heavy vases and whatnot to shelves using Museum gel. In California it’s a must – but I would think that it would be great anywhere a small child lives.
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Thank you for sharing this. We were cleaning out our dresser and end table two days ago to move them out of our bedroom and my two year old son tried to crawl up the end table. It fell over and luckily the bed stopped it from falling right on him. The drawers slid out and bumped him but luckily there wasn’t even a bruise. We were both in the room but just not paying close enough attention. It’s amazing the things we take for granted. Our new furniture is arriving today and tomorrow…anchors will definitely be used. Bless you and your baby girl. I’m so glad she made a full recovery.
A simple piece of 90 degree angle iron with holes in each side works as well, and can be found at any hardware store. You simply screw one side to the wall and the other to the piece of furniture in an inconspicuous place. This is what we did and it worked beautifully.
So very happy to hear all is well – your daughter was in great hands – God’s and her guardian angel’s…. Don’t beat yourself up too much. As parents we are always learning and this is not taught loudly enough! We all know not to shake our babies….but who talks about securing furniture to the wall?
God Bless you for sharing your story with all – you most likely saved a life…
Omg!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!! For Sharing your story! I’m sure it mud have been hard to include the picture of your gorgeous baby, but I saw that, dropped everything I was doing and started reading. I have chills everywhere, we have a 2 yr old and 4 yr old and my 4 yr old girl always climbs furniture to reach things. We just
Moved to this place a couple months ago, NONE of our furniture is anchored! I can’t believe we put up gates and put child locks but never anchored anything! Even though we have such monkeys that climb everywhere! I’m
Forwarding your article to my husband . I pray God always protects your children and you heal from the emotional scars this has left you With. Again, thank you for sharing your story.
I cannot begin to thank you for getting this word out! This happened to my daughter at age 2 1/2. My son was climbing on a tall dresser with a tv on top and my daughter was standing nearby somehow he was not injured but she was in harm’s way. I will never forget the crashing sound from the next room. I had heard of securing furniture, but I thought…my kids aren’t climbers. I can’t describe the guilt of my own negligence putting my children in danger. Charlotte had 9 staples in the back of her head and a clear CT. No fractures, no broken bones, no swelling in her brain. To this day I thank God for His protection over her, and to this day I am still haunted by what could have been. Thank you for the work that you are doing. You’re right that it is so simple to protect our children from this danger. There are too many things in this world beyond our control, but this is not one of them. Thank God for your daughter’s health and safety!
Thank you for sharing your story & God bless your mission! I had a student in my special needs Pre-K class who was killed when he pulled on/shook a microwave cart that was holding a TV. The TV fell on him & he died. It was heart wrenching to go threw that as his teacher & terrible watching his parents go through their grief. Terrible. TV need to be anchored as well – all flat screens can be tethered with special kits to the wall – and heavy electronic equipment should only be on shelves that are designed to hold them.
Kerri
There is a huge bookcase in Johnny’s room on either side of his desk that just collect junk. I really, really want them gone. I am forwarding this to DH. I think it is time we got rid of that thing. Thank you for sharing your story, it could not have been easy to write.
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Added to the top of my to-do is to add wall anchors to my almost 4yr olds dresser and wooden toy storage unit. The wooden toy storage unit is as tall ad he is but I’m not taking any chances. Have to keep my child safe. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and hoping it will teach us all something and for me it sure did! Thank you and God bless your family!
i cried as i read this and am so glad that you and your sweet girl lived to tell the tale – a mom i met on a Mommy Board lost her daughter when a tube television fell on her – she was in the room with her when it happened and just couldn’t get to her in time – i feel sick every time i think about it – a couple of months ago, i caught my 3 year old daughter trying to climb my dresser – the dresser is attached to the wall but the huge tube tv wasn’t – we immediately replaced it with a 15 pound flat screen and fastened it and all the furniture in her room to the wall – it’s such an easy, life-saving solution – thank you for spreading the message – you’re saving lives!!!
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I found you via facebook after a friend posted a link to your page. I just wanted to say thank you for sharing your story. My sons nursery dresser came with wall straps but I havent attached them yet. Now that he’s almost walking, I will be doing that this afternoon.
Thank you.
I got chills reading this. I am so happy that your sweet girl made a full recovery. Thanks for sharing. I’m off to check that our office shelves are totally secure!
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Having a child in the hospital is the most helpless feeling. Our twins spent 11 weeks in the NICU and while different, the same helplessness and fear of loss plague you. I worry for them all the time even now. I’m so glad your daughter is ok. And, your message is heard loud and clear. Absolutely vital! Thanks for sharing your story.
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Wow! I dont have any children yet. I had no idea that furniture needs to be secured to the wall! Thank you for this cautionary tale, albeit that you are the one who endured it. I feel like I can better protect my future children.
This is unreal. It’s hard not to feel complacent as a parent when your kids “don’t do” certain things. My son has never been a climber but I will NEVER take that for granted now. The thought of finding him like you found your baby makes me want to cry. Thank you for the amazing story.
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OMG! The dentist office is so not the place to be reading a story like this. I am so sorry this happened to your child and at the same time I am so glad you are sharing your story. No parent could possibly imagine the extent of injury that could happen from an accident like this. Wow. I am so glad your daughter has healed and come through this difficult period. I hope as the years go by your healing will come too.
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A friend of mine posted this on Facebook to get the word out and I’m so happy she did. I had heard of furniture straps, but had not bought any. Now with a 2-year-old and another on the way, reading your story shocked me into doing something now! I just went to your site and to the Amazon link you posted and ordered them. Thank you so much for your story! I know others will have the same response I did. And I am so happy your little girl made a full recovery!!
Thank you so much for sharing your story and for helping to raise awareness.
I am a mom of four and a professional childproofer. It’s my job to help parents identify and reduce home injuries, such as furniture/TV tip overs. I have found that many parents are resistant to strapping furniture. Typical excuses include- “my baby could never pull this over- it took 20 men to move it up the stairs”, or “I’m not going to put holes in my walls! I just painted them!” And lastly, “we don’t need a tether, we paid extra for the tip-proof dresser.” (Hint: these do not exist.) I know that their excuses may sound logical, but here are the facts: furniture, TV, and appliance tip overs are one of the top hazards in the home; more than 19,000 children a year are treated in the ER from tip over related injuries; 50% of injuries and deaths involve children 3 and under; 63% of tip over fatalities happen in the home; and “Tip Resistant” furniture is NOT “Tip Proof!”
Thanks again for sharing. Your mission is inspiring and I will share it with all of our families. I’ll also write a blog post about furniture safety and I will title it “Lamest reasons for not anchoring your furniture.” :)
Wishing you and Brooke the very best!
Michele Spahr
Michele,
Thank you for what you do and for sharing our mission with your clients. I just really don’t want parents to go through what my husband and I did. It was a horrific accident, nightmare really – even now I have days that I re-visit that day. I do appreciate your support and encouraging words. Please share that post with me when you write it, I would love to post it on my blog as a guest post. Thanks so much! Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
My curio cabinet & my DVD/Book cabinet both are set up to be anchored to the wall… but my husband doesn’t think its necessary, due to me wanting him to re-arrange furniture sometimes. (“I’ll just have to undo it and then re-do it… its a pain”)
I think perhaps when he gets home, I am going to make him read this.
Is a few extra moments of reattaching elsewhere worth losing one of my kids?
Katie,
Please have him read this. He will change his mind when he see’s the photo. This accident tore my husband apart and to this day he still has trouble even speaking about that day. I deal with it differently, but he is repressed it deep inside, and I know it still causes him pain. I have his permission to spread Brooke’s story in hopes that it will save lives. He takes full blame for this happening even though over and over again I tell him it was both of our faults. So, please show your hubby this post and tell him Brooke said to attach those to the wall. So what if he has to do it a few times just be safe:) We had put it on the “to-do” list and even talked about it but thought it’s not going to happen. IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE AT ANYTIME…its so sad, but it’s reality. Thank you so much for your comment!! Hugs, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
Thank you so much for sharing this story, and it is good to read that your daughter had a full recovery. I have shared this story with my husband and we are going to do a walk through to make sure every single furniture in our house is anchor. I have also shared this on facebook with my family and friends because it is important that this awareness gets spread out.
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Thank you for sharing Brooke’s accident. I cringe at the thought of little Brooke, or any child, reaching for something so innocently and then suffering a terrbile accident. I can’t what this must have been like for all of you.
We have a four-year-old son, and the second I finish writing this, I’m going to buy furniture straps. I’m going to pick a bunch for my sister, too, who’s first child is due in April. My husband will be busy installing them tonight.
Blessings to all of you,
MM
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Whoot, whoot!! This is encouraging…if for any reason you can’t find them check amazon or my blog for more info. They actually say that the most common age for these accidents to occur is 2-5 years old, but that does not mean that an older child won’t climb. It’s best just to be safe and take the precaution – the life you save may be your own child’s!! Hugs, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
This story brought tears to my eyes. So Glad your baby is okay :). My fiancee and I attached my daughter’s TV to the wall but now I am going to check everything in our house. Thank you for sharing this I can only imagine how hard it must be to relive it again.
I can’t even imagine … thanks for sharing. And to inspire all of us to do something! We have had the furniture straps sitting in a drawer since we moved last year. They will be installed today! It is something I have worried about, and I have been lucky thus far. I am feeling guilty for being so lazy about something that I knew was important. I wasn’t able to read through all the comments, so someone might have already mentioned, but we bought ours at lowes.
I am so sorry this tragedy happened to your daughter. She is such a precious child. Hopefully, others can learn from this accident. It must have been a trying and difficult time for you, family and your precious daughter. It is lovely to see her healthy smiling face. Thank you so much for sharing about this.
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I have tears in my eyes. Thank you for sharing your experience and for giving us knowledge.
My husband thinks I’m a crazy safety parent and I want to send this to him with an “I told you so!” But he did attach our dressers with my nagging so maybe I’ll bite my tongue :)
I am so happy that Brooke is okay and am so inspired by her and your interest on spreading the word. You can never keep your children totally safe of course but these small precautions are absolutely necessary!
Thank you for sharing.
I’m really sorry to hear what you’ve been through. I can’t even begin to imagine how you must have felt. I t’s so obvious but I’ve not even thought about this! Thank you for sharing this. I have a 2 year old and a newborn so I’ll definitely be securing my furniture and letting all my friends know. I’m glad your little girl is better xx
I am so thankful that this story had a good ending and so grateful that her mother is championing this cause! What a good reminder!
The only thing I would suggest is adding link or, better yet right in the story, a photo step by step guide showing how to anchor furniture to a wall. I know there are different methods of doing it but just showing/describing how to do it is very motivating and will get parents to take action in their own homes.
This is on the list of things to do….I want to create a you tube video of a MOM securing furniture.However, check out my website at http://www.brookesangelwings.com for more information on securing your furniture. I PROMISE THERE IS MORE EXPLANATION TO COME!! I wan to raise awareness to this, and I won’t stop until I feel I have made an impact.Hugs,Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
Omg, I cannot even imagine. Thank you for telling this story!!!
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OMG loved your post….so true and funny!! I just love your blunt honesty!! Thank you for your support, and even more important for the OUTBURST of the day! Hugs, Laurie PS if you could please share our website with your readers http://www.brookesangelwings.com it would mean sooooooooo much!!
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
thank you for bringing this to light. your daughter is perfectly beautiful. as an early childhood educator, we need to be aware of these hazards too. or perhaps, a child’s home should be inspected and as equally safe as a daycare center.
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We just moved into a new house 1 month ago and the anti-tilt straps are dangling off the backs of the furniture, not yet anchored to the walls…thank you for the “wake-up call”. God bless you and your family for sharing your experience just to help spare others. My husband and I will be making sure all those straps go on tonight!
Yeah!! Hoping this got done last night:) Thanks for your comment. Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
Oh my God, what a RELIEF it was to see your daughter’s beautiful, smiling face at the end of that gripping, heart-wrenching post! My heart rate still hasn’t calmed down thinking of that dresser and your feelings of helplessness as a mother – in the ambulance, going through all of it – then afterward hitting that dresser, blaming yourself.
Thank goodness you are all okay.
Thank you for this powerful reminder.
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Ado, you know I really just want all of you to know that I DON’T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO YOUR FAMILY. This post was the good, the bad, the ugly of that day……and yes, I still re-visit that day (as a matter of fact DAILY), but I know that this happened for a reason. I really believe that Brooke was meant for other things….that her story was meant to save lives. I honestly think that Brooke was meant to save lives, for real, she is just the most vibrant, happy girl ever. Sometimes, I go to the what if? but I just can’t and I know that she was meant to be here for bigger things. Not to say, that her accident stalled us and scared us so bad that we still cry about it from time to time. For her, it was just something that happened – children are so amazing. She will say, “Remember when I had head surgery and the gave me my Princess Crown?” It’s truly amazing because I look at her and I think, God I will give you my everything for saving her….truly, anything you want. It’s so amazing that she is here and ok. Thank you for your support!! Hugs, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
Thank you so much for this valuable post~ my heart hurts at what your family went through, but I commend you for being so brave to share your story! I’m sharing this post with my husband first thing in the morning, and putting securing furniture on our weekend To Do list. Thanks again for sharing your story & your beautiful daughter with us!
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Thank you!! Check out http://www.brookesangelwings for more information about straps (call ahead to your local stores – they are at times hard to find). I have found in my area it’s easier to order online. I am working on making them more available as an in stock item (they are even out of stock or not offered at online common retailers like Target or Walmart). Just don’t give up and make it something that does not get left on the To Do list. It was on ours, and well, we have regrets obviously about not following through. Thank you for your comment!! Hugs, Laurie
Brooke’s Angel Wings recently posted..Brooke’s Angel Wings Our Mission: Please Secure Your Furniture to the Wall, it Could Save a Child’s Life!!
Mission accomplished! Will be tweeting this post and I’m so happy your story has a happy ending!!
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Thank-you for sharing this, I had no idea this was something that happened *at all*, let alone every 2 weeks.
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What a terrifying experience! I’m guilty of procrastinating with the furniture straps too. Reading your blog entry was just the motivation I needed. It will get done this week. Thank you! And so glad Brooke had a 100% recovery!
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Oh my gosh what a terrifying experience. After losing a child we are hyper-vigilant about everything in our home, we have many of our heavier pieces anchored to the wall but not the dresser in our daughter’s room. Because of you sharing this story we will do it, no more thinking this could not happen.
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Thankyou for doing this for other parents. So glad your daughter made a complete recovery. I know of young twins who – unbelievably sadly – did not have the happy outcome you have had when a dresser fell on them. The message is real – “fix furniture to the wall”.
My husband has orders to take care of this tonight. Thank you for sharing this.
Oh my god…this is one of my biggest fears. We have anchored everything, but still…I always think that there is something. Because you can never do enough. I’m so sorry that you went through this, but happy to see that smiling little girl of yours. Thank you for sharing this message.
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OMG I have chills running up and down my spine reading your story. Such a great message you are spreading and such an important reminder. And as I sit here, we have NONE of our furniture attached to the walls. All those little kits we get with furniture, yeah, still sitting in the plastic bags. But now I’m going to make it a point… thank you so much.
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Proud of you for pouring your soul out there. You are spreading your message like wildfire :)
What else except thanking god & thank u for your awareness
What an amazing story and outcome. I am glad your dauhter survived that horrible event. I actually had almost the same incident happen to my 2 year old yesterday while staying in a hotel. The tv and dresser are connected and both my 2 and 4 year old were playing as I did my hair and I heard a load crash. I ran out the bathroom only to see my 4 year old. I heard one cry and then silence I paniced and threw the TV and dresser to see her little body under it. By the grace of God she walked away from it with a bump on her head. The dresser or the Tv was not bolted to the wall. I never saw this happening but now that it has it opened my eyes. This happens a lot and small children are oftem the victim. More people need to read your story and help keep their kids safe by bolting the furniture or TV to the wall.
I read this story a few months back. That night, I told my husband to immediately secure our sons dresser to the wall. I’m not sure why we didn’t sooner. Thank you for sharing your story; I am sure you’ve prevented many other accidents.
I am so glad your little darling is ok, what a scarey time for you and your family. My son just turned 4 and three weeks ago his three and a half year old cousin and himself
were playing, I never allow kids upstairs but he went up with his cousin to get his fireman sam belt, I was changing my 2 week old baby when I heard a big crash,I froze, I could not move. My sister in law ran upstairs, thankfully the 2 boys were ok,the drawer must have thrown him back out and the chest fell over and it was so heavy, my son climbed into the bottom drawer to reach something, very innocent, I never imagined he would do this as everything that I could think of is child proof in the house. I am still not the better of it as I am so conscious and always have to be able to see him playing and people think I am too protective. That evening we secured the chest to the wall tightly and the bookcase in the playroom. I am so glad your beautiful daughter is ok, she is beautiful and its great that you shared this and make people aware. We as parents are human and accidents happen but its the guilt when something happens that lingers. I tell my story to all my friends with kids to make them aware, some think I am crazy, but I never want a scare like that again. I stilll feel so guilty for that one time for allowing them upstairs for that 2 minutes as again I have gates, locks on windows and built in wardrobes. I thank god everyday for watching over them.
Wishing you and your family and sweet brooke a happy long life together. You will save so many kids lives with your story
Caroline Breen(Ireland)
I just had this scare with our 2/almost 3 year old. She loves climbing and we are usually right there to tell her no. But today we were in the kitchen while we thought she was watching tv and we heard a crash. My husband went to see and discovered her under the dresser. She had only her body under it and luckily it is not very heavy. But there was a tube tv on top that must have hit the desk and bounced off to miss our daughter. We are soooo lucky. Its too late to go out to buy the anchors now…but i will be doing this first thing tomorrow. I never thought something so scary could happen over something right in our home.
I am sooo happy your daughter is ok. I know as a mother that we cannot imagine our life without our babies. Thank ou for sharing how dangerous this can really be.
Thank God she is ok – she had some angels around her keeping her safe. Thank you for sharing! Hugs, Laurie (Brooke’s mommy)