As a parent the call that I fear the most is the one in which they tell you your son or daughter is gone. That is what I have alway thought, and trust me that is horrible. Unfortunately, my family has learned the hard way that, that is not the worst call, the worst call is the one in which they tell you that your daughter has brain function such that she can breath and digest food. So we are going to put a feeding tube in her stomach and send her home, She will live the rest of her life in a vegetative state. As a parent knowing that the she is alive but the soul, and the mind are gone, there are no words. This happen to my niece last Sunday 10/18/2012...

I write this because this weekend is youth hunting deer/duck season.

She was driving an ATV and did not put on her helmet this one time. I simply ask you this one little favor because we all know that your hunting kids will be on ATVs this weekend. Please make them wear a helmet. Had she had on a helmet she would have missed a couple days of school. Now she will lay in a bed the rest of her life but in reality she is not there.

I hate having to write something like this but if I get through to one parent or one uncle or one grandfather then this message is worth while.

Please hug your children, please take your kids hunting, please put a helmet on them. Treat the ATV the same way you would a gun.

God Bless all the children, and have a good hunting weekend...

Sorry to hear Nathan, prayers to everyone, and yes I do know.

Great advise..I know 2 kids that were killed and another with brain damage due to 4 wheelers, all seperate acidents..

Check those firearms too.

Be safe everyone and good luck..

That is tragic. Prayers sent.

God bless that baby girl and your family. We bought helmets and safety gear last year. One of my buddies grandchildren had a major accident on a mule that left him without an arm and a bad head injury.

prayers sent Nathan, sorry to hear stuff like this, but I appreciate you bringing it up and sharing with everyone so maybe they can learn and prevent an accident.

Tragic story, definitely agree with your sentiment. Too many times we get complacent with things and fail to remember that it just takes a moment for life to change. We had close family friends lose their son to an ATV accident little over a year ago. He went out riding alone, not something that was tolerated and he overturned his ATV and it fell onto him. He was unable to get out from under it. Prayers are with you and your family as you bring her home.

So sorry to hear this new. Prayers for your family. There was a fatal accident on a golf cart last year involving a child at my kids school.

Small note on the firearms. I have made it a rule to keep a rifle chamber empty when not directly hunting. Possibly paid off last year when I fell on my gun. Be safe all.

Dang it Nathan. I really hate to hear that about your niece (or any kid). Prayers for her, and all of her friends and family.

I lost my 2nd cousin about 10 years ago when he rolled a Honda Big Red 3 wheeler over on himself. He wasn't wearing a helmet either.

Nearly lost my best bud several years ago when the front tire of his 4-wheeler hit a small tree, climbed up it and flipped over backwards. The handle bar mounted cup holder came down on his face, fracturing every bone in his face. He had to have full reconstructive surgery. He deals with the effects of that crash every day.

ATVs aren't toys and should be respected. They can be very dangerous machines.

Absolutely. The vast majority of shooting-related accidents do not occur when people are in their stands, but when they are going to/from their stands, removing/replacing firearms in vehicles, or just "hanging around" camp and other places where no hunting is being done. If you simply follow the basic rule of waiting until you get into your stand before chambering a round, and leaving the chamber empty before you leave, you'll eliminate most of the chances of being involved in a shooting accident.

prayers to you and your family....great advise.as parents we all do are best, and maybe sometimes we slack or take things for granted and we obviously need to be careful about it, no mater what the kids are doing.

Awareness is everything. Thanks for the post.

And prayers up for all.

This ^^^^^

Prayers up.

Being an insurance agent in a small town I hear all the horror stories. I am saddened by ever loss, but the ATV/UTV accidents involing kids are some of the worst. Most of the ones I hear about were not at high speeds and adults were with them. The one thing they all have in common is NO HELMENTS.

Sorry to hear about your niece Nathan.

You are absolutely correct in everything that you say. As sad as it is.

Tragic to say the least, sorry to hear this Nathan.
Thoughts and prayers to you and your family.
Thanks for making others aware in your time of sorrow.

Very sad to hear and prayers sent to all the family.

Sometimes we dismiss the value of safety for convenience. Lets all take the time to be safe this season for the benefit of all around us.

My sympathies to all affected.

prayers for the family

Realities are harsh. Reminders never grow old. Nathan, my prayers are with all of you.

Nathan

Prayers sent to you and your family.