Mistaken Identity

My heart hurts for the two families involved in the Indiana case of mistaken identity. I can't even imagine. Of course, I'm talking about the two college girls involved in a multi-casualty auto accident. One survived the wreck, but arrived at the hospital with the other girl's identification.

Can you imagine being the family of the girl who had really died? They had sat by this other girl for five weeks, encouraging her to heal. Now they have to deal with the idea that their daughter has really been dead for weeks, and go through the motions of a funeral, after they exhume the body and transport it to their burial ground choice.

Can you imagine being the family of the girl who had survived? They were grieving for five weeks when they could have been at their daughter's side. But now, their daughter, who once was "dead" is now alive! Oh what joy!

And most of all, can you imagine being the girl who lived? As she started coming to, from what I understand, there were a couple of weeks before she communicated her name that she was agitated. How frustrated she must have been to have the wrong family surrounding her bed, and the wrong boyfriend calling her name. And even before that, when she was in a coma, I can't help but wonder if she would have come out of it sooner if she had heard the loving voices of her own family by her bed.

No matter, what is, is, and now the wrongs have been righted. But who pays for the funeral service that has already been held? The family who is now grieving didn't have the comfort of that time, but the family who originally paid for it didn't really need the service they were given. So many details for everyone to work out.

It's just one of those incidents that causes you to scratch your head in wonder. I'm surprised, when bodies are disfigured, that this doesn't happen more often, since purses with identification are often strewn yards from the wreckage.

My prayers go out to these two families, and to the college campus.