Father Forced to Make Agonizing Choice of Which Twin to Save When Canoe Capsizes
Quote:
A grieving father told an Australian inquest Tuesday how he was forced to make a "life and death" decision over which of his children to save when a family canoe trip turned to tragedy.
Television presenter Ian Clayton's nine-year-old daughter Billie died after their canoe capsized during a 2006 trip, throwing them into fast-flowing water, along with Billie's twin brother Edward.
Clayton, 48, spoke through tears as he described how he had been told by his son to save Billie first. He desperately tried to lift the canoe clear but couldn't see Billie and was only able to grab on to Edward.
Buoyed by their lifejackets, Clayton and his son were carried away by the strong current of the River Wye in Powys, Wales.
“When I got to Edward he said, 'Save my sister first,’” Clayton said. “It's hard to understand what was going through that little lad's mind.”
Clayton went on to explain the agonizing decision he was forced to make.
“It was a challenge for me,” he said. “What twin to go for? Sometimes I dream that I saved Billie instead. I will never know if I made the right decision.”
I just read this on Fox News website. I know it is off topic, but it somewhat relates to one of the biggest problems we face as parents. Being the father of two young children, I lay awake many nights wondering how I would handle a situation like this. If you are out with your children and are attacked, it makes it so much more difficult do deal with the threat. Say someone runs up and grabs one child and takes off. You are there with the other that you can not leave standing there alone, but you can't just sit back and watch your other child be carried away. What I do know is that I hope I am never faced with this problem. Anyway, I can't possibly imagine the misery this father must be in, but my prayers are with him and his family.
