Comments on Carol Swales Photography: PANIC at the Science Center

Carol, what a nightmare! When you had just turned...

2009-01-12T14:56:00.000-08:00

Carol, what a nightmare! When you had just turned 4 we lost you at home. I was taking a nap with Bobby who was still nursing, when your dad woke me up to say he couldn't find you. We searched the house and the yard, and then I panicked. Called the police. (There was no 911 then.) When they answered, I couldn't talk - had this huge lump in my throat! I've never been so terrified in my life! I handed the phone to Walt. The cops went around the neighborhood banging on doors and found you in under 10 minutes - asleep on the floor in the bedroom of the next door neighbor's house. Two old ladies lived there. You'd been playing with makeup and nail polish, and they didn't even know you were there. I cried like a baby when I saw you. You were fine, but I was a wreck! I'm crying now just remembering all this! (Mom)

Thanks for sharing those stories. I remember how ...

2008-11-28T12:54:00.000-08:00

Thanks for sharing those stories. I remember how scary it was when Jude wandered out of the house. We have a chain lock on the door now to make sure nothing like that happens again.

Meg, I can't imaging losing Niall at home, that would be so terrifying! At least at a place like the Science Center there are security people to help with the search.

Omg Carol, how very frightning!!! When my son was...

2008-11-25T15:01:00.000-08:00

Omg Carol, how very frightning!!! When my son was 2 I left him in the living room to go to the bathroom. (10-15' away!) Came back and no kid. I called his name and looked in every room in the house; no kid. I ran out the front door (also only 10' away-small house) panicing and calling his name. I didn't see him anywhere and figured he couldn't have gone far in that short of time; maybe one minute, unless horror of horrors someone grabbed him. So I ran back inside and looked around again and found him hiding in the corner behind a giant 80's style stereo speaker. !!!! Heart attack city for sure. I have to say that being in a public crowded place unfamiliar to my child would probably scare me twice as much. You know now you will always jump right up to help any other Mom in the same situation. Praise God that your son is ok.
I think that what "anonymous" said is probably true that most people are willing to help not hurt, but when your in that situation it feels like instinct to consider the worst and panic. That is if you have EVER watched the evening news...

Well, you know that little Jude got lost at the zo...

2008-11-24T01:26:00.000-08:00

Well, you know that little Jude got lost at the zoo for 20 minutes and Security were looking for him...I found him as calm as can be eating cheesy puffs with some concerned strangers on the loop! Then he wandered onto Dexter during Sammie's party (before his 2nd birthday!) and was brought back by a stranger on the street (Jude had managed to get him in the general direction and the balloons outside the door helped!). And of course he escaped from your house once at 10pm and was found heading up 85th towards Aurora by a man walking a dog who said "it takes a village..we're all in this together!". It's happened briefly several times since then, but those were the three most memorable (and distressing) occasions! I think my heart skipped so many beats during those occasions that it would take a lot more for my panic level to go up so soon. I've realized that the majority of strangers are well-meaning and everyone wants to help. The chances of a child going missing AND there's a weirdo on the prowl in the vicinity at the same time are incredibly slim... I'd be more worried by them wandering into traffic, but you can't underestimate how interested Niall must have been by all those exhibits. He probably didn't bat an eyelid at the whole thing! (SL)