Source: The Weekender.com
Aug. 16, 2009 left one family to deal with the pain of loss and a long road to healing. At 6:38 p.m., Paul “Mugsy” McGuire received the phone call that every parent dreads. The one that tells you your child has been in an accident. McGuire received that call on the cell phone his daughter Erica Lynn McGuire chose for him. It rang from her phone. When McGuire answered the phone, he expected to hear his daughter’s voice. What he heard instead was the voice of another woman telling him that his daughter was leaving in an ambulance heading for Scranton’s CMC hospital. Though denial flared momentarily, he bid his friends goodbye and headed alone to the hospital, and as he walked toward the emergency room, he watched as the Jefferson Twp. ambulance arrived to the rear doors.
Erica was a passenger on a motorcycle riding with some friends at the time of the accident. There were four bikes altogether. A woman riding on one of the other bikes found Erica’s phone in the weeds and called the listing under “Daddy.” The accident was caused by the driver of an automobile who crossed the center line and hit the bike Erica was riding on. According to a published report, “According to police, Ms. McGuire was riding with operator Michael Ball, 38, of Dalton, when their southbound 2003 Honda Spirit collided with a 1998 Plymouth Neon traveling north on Route 247 between the entrances to the Jefferson Heights and Laurel Ridge developments at about 6:20 p.m. The Neon driver, Marylynn L. Schmidt, 39, of Dickson City, was not injured, Chief Phillips said.” McGuire related that this was the road that he had taught Erica to drive on.
Also noted in the article was the fact that Erica, like many motorcyclists, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Talking to McGuire about that, he said, “I don’t wear one either.” He added, “I was having a discussion recently with a very good friend of mine who is a helmet proponent. While we disagreed on many points, the bottom line, one we both agreed on, was that you need to be aware of what’s going on around you.”
McGuire related that his daughter’s death brought life to others through organ donation. He had to sign the papers to let that happen.
“She did a lot of good for a lot of people,” said McGuire. “The guy who got her liver is local. He is 25 and has two kids. I got a letter from the guy who got her lungs.”
Though the pain in his eyes was fresh, the pride in his voice was still evident as McGuire talked about the good that came from this tragedy. Erica donated her heart, liver, lungs, eyes, skin tissue and bones. McGuire warns about donation and he wants you to know that the family is billed for the harvesting of these gifts.
McGuire was contacted by Michelle Towse who was the producer of a 16-minute documentary that PennDOT was putting together for their campaign “Be One Less.” The website and documentary can be found at www.livefreeridealive.com. Towse and crew spent more than 22 hours with McGuire and three other families to create the documentary. You can see McGuire tell you this story and see for yourself the devastation that is the result of any accident involving a death.
He said that because it was February and so all of the shots with his bike had to be shot in his garage.
“I’ve been riding a long time, since 1968 when I bought my first bike at 18,” McGuire said. “I firmly believe that I am here because of three things: experience, being aware of what is going on around me and, having a way out.” He again stressed that you need to be aware.
He had so many stories of Erica to share, including one about a butterfly release held on the anniversary of Erica’s death. McGuire was awed that 45 people were in attendance. There is also a benefit fund for Erica’s children. You can walk into any Penn Star Bank and ask for the Erica Lynn McGuire fund, and a donation will be made for her children. Erica leaves behind two sons, Jared, 6, and Jimmy, 3, Maciejewski.
Take 16 minutes out of your day and view the documentary. Hopefully, it will make you look twice to save a life and to be more aware on the road.
Take a few moments to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor. To learn how click HERE
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