02/20/2026
There was a terrible traffic accident on the periphery of my neighborhood this morning around 7:45am.
If you're local to Charleston, this would be the intersection of Maybank Hwy and Riverland Dr. And also if you're local, you know this is a treacherous place that has seen endless accidents.
So, this morning I am headed back home after an early morning store run. I'm the first in line at the red light to cross Maybank to head into my neighborhood.
I heard it before I saw it. The screech of tires, and a huge bang of metal on metal. As I realized an accident had just occurred, I saw a car bumper and other debris in the middle of the intersection.
My light turned green and I crept past the bumper, glass and metal in the road. I pulled over in the grass and that's when I see a car about 50 ft. from me t-boned by a work truck. The sedan had been t-boned by the first car, spun out multiple times, then got t-boned a second time by a work truck.
Several of us were out of our cars and running to help. One woman said she'd call 911. I ran to the sedan's driver side, crunched up against the front bumper of the work truck. The driver's side door won't open, but the driver is trying. I can't see inside the car because the deployed air bags were obstructing my view.
I see and smell a little smoke from what looks like the driver's door. I run to the passenger door when I see a young woman exit the car. She's pregnant! Her husband comes out the car after her.
I assist her to the grass on the side of the road where she needs to sit down. She seems to be in shock. I asked her name and she says Megan. She's 36 weeks pregnant and has low abdominal and neck and shoulder pain.
Many cops are arriving by this time and I run to the closest one and tell them a pregnant woman needs an ambulance. I run back to Megan and tell her I am going to stay with her until the ambulance comes.
I told Megan I do Reiki (energy healing) and I ask her if it's ok with her if I give her some healing energy while we wait together. She agrees. I place my hand very gently on her back and invoke that Reiki energy. I ask her a few questions to distract her from the trauma she just went through and we chat while we wait for the ambulance. Besides this horrible crash, the dear girl just lost her dad in October. She's been though a lot recently, she told me.
Once the fire truck arrives, they rush to her aid and I take my leave. I tell her I'm heading out and that she and her baby are going to be just fine. The gratitude in her eyes as she thanks me speaks volumes.
Moral of the story: Don't hesitate to help at the scene of an accident, especially if you're one of the first ones there. Even if you don't do Reiki or anything of the kind, just letting the victims know you'll stay with them until help arrives is HUGE to them.
If you do Reiki, even better. If you can't get close enough to physically touch a victim of an accident, just beam some energy their way. It will help.
