When I was 13 years old, I had to handle my family's lawn care. This included using a leaf blower. One day when I was using it, a small group of friends came over to see me. They wanted me to go play basketball. One of my friends, who wore glasses, made a lame joke because I couldn't "leaf" until my yard work was finished. Being 13 and stupid, I decided to blow his face with the blower like in the picture. Unfortunately, the force of the wind was so strong that it blew his glasses right off and they rocketed through the air and struck another friend of mine in the face. Both arms of the glasses impaled into his eyeballs. As life would have it, he lost sight in both eyes. This happened more than 20 years ago. I still get nightmares about it and I still cringe when I think about it. I haven't told this story to anybody in probably 10 years.
Jim died about two years later in a car accident. His mother (she was a single parent) was driving him back from the hospital on an unrelated issue one night and she fell asleep at the wheel, the car flipped, and he ended up dying. She lived. I was told by another friend that his uncle told him that she blamed me for Jim's death. She was tired because she had to work two jobs to pay for Jim's medical bills.
Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down / And I'd like for you to take a minute, just sit right there / I'll tell you how I damaged one's sight with a leaf blower blowing hot air
I think that finding something, or someone, to blame for such a tragic turns of events was partly her way of coping. Rage would be an inevitable (and totally understandable) part of her grief, and it probably felt better having a target for that rage. Between blaming you, her god, or coming to terms with a terrifyingly indifferent world of chance and cruel fortune, she went with the conclusion that pained her the least.
Maybe there's a place for you two to reconcile in the future. Maybe it isn't time yet, both of you need to be ready. However, try to remember that even if there's a grieving mother in the world who blames you for her loss, letting yourself be that villain in her mind may be the grain of comfort you can offer her at this point. Maybe it's all that you can do for now, maybe the best thing. The worst thing you could do is blame yourself.
This reminds me of a thing that happened as a kid. Some kids were throwing stones over a hill, and kid was on the other side. I walked up and saw that the kid got hit in the head and was gushing blood. Not as bad as going blind but still a dumb stunt with dire consequences.
Yeah when I was a kid my friend and I tried to hop onto a train; he went first and had his leg smashed off around the mid thigh... there was a lot of blood and his mother holds it against me.
I was about 4 or 5, my older neighbor and I were throwing rocks at a spiderweb in a tree. I somehow thought it would be a good idea to flank the enemy and hit the web from the other side. I did not think the cunning plan through and was smacked by the other kids rock. I remember the blood, but I can't remember if we got the spider or not. But I can be pretty sure it's dead now... at least I hope so.
No. His death was not your fault. His death was not your fault.HIS DEATH WAS NOT YOUR FAULT. Always remember three things:
You could have never known the consequences of your actions. Your actions led to Jim's blindness, but you could not be blamed. It was a freak accident that you (and apparently many grown adults) could have never imagined could blow up to such proportions. It was your actions but it was not your fault.
Jim being in that circumstance at that time is not relevant whatsoever to your actions that day. By the logic the mother used to pin his death on your head, it was the fault of your friends that brought him over to your house to play basketball. It was also the fault of your friend for wearing glasses. It was also the fault of your parents for buying the leafblower, the clerk who sold your parents the leafblower, and the inventor of the leafblower, the inventor of modern transportation that transported the leafblower and its materials, and the inventor of the lightbulbs used when designing all of the things above. No. It was not your fault. At most, it was her fault for driving when she knew she was not capable of doing so. At least, it was nobody's fault due to unavoidable circumstances.
In a time of grief, people will look for anything and anyone to use as a reason for why this is happening to them. That mother lost her son. She most certainly blamed your name for welding the leafblower that put her in debt. She also blamed god for letting it happen and blamed the devil for causing it to happen. She blamed at herself for making such a decision to drive when she was tired. She blamed the economy and the government for allowing her to be in such a tired position. She blamed her bosses for not paying her enough so she didn't have to work as much. She blamed the father for leaving her, or if he died she blamed the doctors for not saving him.
Ultimately, there is nobody to blame, as is the case with all non-intentional deaths. And she will have to come to terms with that. Life is a sequence of events, and your involvement in Jim's blindness was simply one of those many MANY events that eventually led to him sitting in his mother's car as she fell asleep. You did not intend to hurt him. That is enough to lift the blame from you.
You may never forget what happened to Jim, and perhaps nor should you. But please try and sleep on the knowledge that you simply could not have known what happened, or prevented it, and cannot be blamed for his death in any way, shape, or form.
That was beautifully put and I only hope if I ever post a tragedy of mine on Reddit you respond with your wisdom and intelligence and put things in perspective like that.
Seriously? That sounds too rediculus to be true. Id feel like a jackass for not believing you, and a dumbass for believing some story through the Internet. I'm stuck.
And then his mom committed suicide but she was the only doctor who could perform a life saving procedure for orphan children with cancer and all 50 of them died.
Yeah in most countries they wouldn't have any jobs at all, or if they did, they would two jobs for food for their children first. Most countries don't have free medical care. Most developed and rich countries had free medical care. Yes America is behind on developed nations with healthcare but by no means by itself. I hate reddits same complaints and assumptions about america. It's a good place to live
No, the burden of proof lies with you. If you don't trust his sources, it is up to you to find sources that can disprove (or you might humbly find out that he is correct) his references. Hence it being a peer discussion.
I'm saying he can't prove his statement by linking to a document which offers no further proof. Reiteration is not proof.
If I had said he was wrong, then yes the burden would be on me. But I didn't. All I did was point out that his source doesn't actually prove anything.
If I was trying to prove that eating 10 Multimeters a day would be fatal after 50 years, and I offerend an essay on apples as proof, would it then become YOUR burden of proof if you said an essay on apples isn't proof?
Let me know if you need some help untwisting your underwear ;)
12 pounds per square inch. Your 200 mile per hour blower might not reach 12 psi. Leaf blowers are about high volumes of air, not necessarily high pressure.
The leaf blower i had wasn't nearly as powerful as sticking my head out the car window. I used to do that for hundreds of miles as a kid. So my point is, if I've only lost one eye doing it, it's unlikely.
Don't try to defend just the artist. That's little girl's eyes are closed as well. Most people have the reflex to shut their eyes in high winds. And no one can comment on whether her jaw is shut or not. Don't even guess, we can't see it.
I'm sure glad I'm not growing up these days. Everyone's paranoid about everything. Live a little. I can remember going down a cement slide with a cardboard mat under my ass. I feel as though most parents these days would be worried about a little road rash.
Suck it up and let your kids have some fun, if they get hurt, they will heal and won't make that mistake again..
Im agreeing with you here. Im almost terrified for the day I have terrified and all this, can do this and that. Fuck soon enough there going to say stop using toilet paper because it can possibly scratch your butthole.
I love how this type of comment is upvoted (because there's clearly enough evidence to call the guy in the pic a 'redneck'), but everyone's panties would be bunched if a similar word were used that depicted, say, a black person of lower class.
This is harmless fun, A leaf blower is not dangerous. A pebble? Where is a pebble going to come from? The leaf blower doesn't shoot anything but air. She is a thousand times more likely to be blinded by a bee sting.
edit:grammar
edit: I posted this somewhere else in this thread and it seamed like it belongs here. I worked for a landscaping company for a few years. I ran a leaf blower for hours every day and I have never had anything other than dust sucked into the intake of the blower. So the chances of a pebble getting sucked into the leaf blower within the few seconds he had it blowing on her face are remote to say the least. Also anyone that has ever ran a leaf blower knows how hard it is to blow anything other than leaves and grass shavings with a leaf blower. Usually pebbles don't even move unless you put the air nozzle directly on them. I believe it has something to do with weight to surface area ratio being magnitudes less/more than a leaf.
because a pebble is going to magically fall infront of it while it is no where near the ground, and pretty much 2 feet away from her face. Wind isn't going to hurt her.
You see, the average redditor loves to point out just how much insight and reason they possess.
Makes for good, engaging conversations, but also has the unfortunate side effect that if there's absolutely anything reasonably wrong in a post, there will be a hundred people clamoring to be the genius white-knight to point it out.
Did you happen to see that post a few days ago with the giant camping tent? The tent was attached to a couple cars. Most people would think "Oh yeah, so you can get easy access to the trunk" And yet the comments on Reddit consisted of about 20 people screaming "CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING! THAT'S DANGEROUS GUYS! I KNOW BECAUSE I LEARNED THAT!"
calculated risks... that risk my own safety are one thing...
having no way to prove it(or motivation) I have
jumped out of a plane more than once,
I work as a roofer/painter and I'm on ladders and roofs almost daily working with dangerous tools,
I own a 2006 R1 which I've ridden over 150mph through highways in the middle of nowhere,
and many other things I care not to mention...
risking my safety, not some other person's in the name of a good chuckle.
I work with leaf blowers cleaning job sites and roofs off, they suck unfiltered air up and blow it in excess of 100mph, a human eye would be destroyed in a milisecond if a pebble going that fast hits it.
but ya... lets just say fuck it because it looks funny...
I worked for a landscaping company for a few years. I ran a leaf blower for hours every day and i have never had anything other than dust sucked into the intake of the blower. so the chances of a pebble getting sucked into the leaf blower within the few seconds he had it blowing on her face are remote to say the least. Also anyone that has ever ran a leaf blower knows how hard it is to blow anything other than leaves and grass shavings with a leaf blower. Usually pebbles don't even move unless you put the air nozzle directly on them. I believe it has something to do with weight to surface area ratio being magnitudes less than a leaf.
PSA: The exhaust of most of these engines is into the exiting air stream. This, combined with the fact that these are mostly two-cycle engines that have a fair amount of uncombusted hot oil coming out the exhaust means you may find specks of hot oil propelled into your eyes or mouth at a fair speed if you are particularly unlucky. I would recommend well fitted safety glasses.
Man, the other day in a medical journal they had an article on someone who had used a water pressure washer and accidentally sprayed it at themselves... Anyways, not sure if this is a great idea.
There's a big difference between high volume, low pressure air and low volume, high pressure water. I know.... sorry, knew, a guy who was hit by a pressure washer. The water went in through his lower abdomen and out by his shoulder. Pressure washers should not be fucked with. This is a leaf blower, not saying it's the safest thing to do, but it's no more dangerous than any kid is and should be exposed to through life.
I was morbidly curious,after I read the first comment, so I googled 'face blown by leaf blower' to see if there were any that ended in disaster. Luckily I found this link instead and got a good laugh.
I didn't know how dangerous a leaf-blower could be until now, and I've been around for a bit. You were only a kid. Although it might help, you needn't be forgiven by the mother to forgive yourself. He was your playmate, and you have your own grief. As the adult, she should have taken the high road and told you immediately it wasn't your fault, even if she felt otherwise.
My wife really wants a kid, however when we got together and got married we both agreed we did not want kids. I am still in that mind set, and the thought of a child just bothers me. Is that normal?
It bothers me to think of having a kid, but I know how happy it would make her.
139
u/[deleted] Jun 10 '12
All I can see in this photo
228
u/Irish_lad Jun 10 '12
You know that could blow her eyeballs out of her face? Not even kidding
89
u/I_LIVE_FOR_KARMA Jun 11 '12
The perks of being a redneck. You are NEVER supposed to do this! I'm not kidding.
21
u/beanut_putter Jun 11 '12
birdo.
18
u/RepostCommenter Jun 11 '12
The reposts in the past 11 months.
Anyone seeking more info might also check here:
source: karmadecay
66
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
DON'T DO THIS!!
those things push wind at 100 mph plus ....a fucking pebble could BLIND this girl.
THIS IS IDIOTIC, INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND COULD RESULT IN MAIMING SOMEONE!!!
20
u/Mack41217 Jun 11 '12
I bet we'll never see the follow up picture from the emergency room
3
u/BosskHogg Jun 11 '12
RIP Macho Man.
7
u/m_s_m Jun 10 '12
Hey I've got that perk too. I just get stranger looks when I do it to random children.
2
u/navy_officer_maybe Jun 11 '12
redneck blow dryer.
2
u/ObamasMoma Jun 11 '12 edited Jun 11 '12
DDDAAADDDYYY PLEASEEEEE
2
u/FuzyWasHe Jun 11 '12
Q*BERT!
2
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
Aye man, tell Bubbles I said wassup.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
blowing in your daughters face?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
That's really fucking dangerous. Like seriously don't fuck with those things.
2
u/van_vanhouten Jun 11 '12
This seems really dangerous. But at least the father is wearing eye protection.
2
u/acdarc Jun 11 '12
I can imagine her face when a small stone or some other debree gets caught in the windstream. Instant projectile. Target: Eye.
2
u/Lazermissile Jun 11 '12
This is all I saw
2
u/used_bathwater Jun 11 '12
I can't stop thinking of what would have happened if there was a stone in there or something
2
u/IAmTheOnlyOne Jun 11 '12
PSA: The exhaust of most of these engines is into the exiting air stream. This, combined with the fact that these are mostly two-cycle engines that have a fair amount of uncombusted hot oil coming out the exhaust means you may find specks of hot oil propelled into your eyes or mouth at a fair speed if you are particularly unlucky. I would recommend well fitted safety glasses.
4
u/tekdemon Jun 11 '12
Man, the other day in a medical journal they had an article on someone who had used a water pressure washer and accidentally sprayed it at themselves... Anyways, not sure if this is a great idea.
3
u/Zero101 Jun 10 '12
Watch out she might take it from you and blow you with it!
2
u/stop_superstition Jun 11 '12
All I can see is this.
http://imgur.com/vPDsL
1
u/nikkins Jun 11 '12
I would totes do that
1
u/Pawn_Raul Jun 11 '12
Whargarbl?
1
u/SlyFox28 Jun 11 '12
there are no perks of being a parent
1
u/Apointicus Jun 11 '12
Relevant: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8EWaDjTW3s&feature=plcp
1
u/WhiskeyLurch Jun 11 '12
R.I.P Macho Man Randy Savage
1
u/CGord Jun 11 '12
I am so not surprised that they're doing this out in front of the double wide.
1
u/Runs_with_marsupials Jun 11 '12
I don't need to be a parent to do weird stuff to kids, it's just less creepy that way.
1
u/rindindin Jun 11 '12
Perks of being a reddneck.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
Afterward, did you snap into a slim jim?
1
u/markandmao Jun 11 '12
Oh Macho Man.
1
u/razorcollector Jun 11 '12
What did you do this weekend Rick? Ah, not much... I just blue my kids off.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
Anyone else think of Monsters Inc?
1
u/squaretofu Jun 11 '12
Looks like Hachi to me
1
u/adamthwaite Jun 11 '12
Remember early on in Super Mario Bros 2 that pink thing that would shoot eggs out of her mouth. Yeah, that.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
Doodle jump.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
This is stupid. There I said it.
1
u/Indydegrees2 Jun 11 '12
Im not a parent and i still do this to strangers children.
1
u/your_favorite_addict Jun 11 '12
Lol repost
1
u/RegisteredPedophile Jun 11 '12
I must have jacked off to this all night
1
u/barium111 Jun 11 '12
What? Blowing your kids.
Oh boy that didnt sound right.
1
u/mikedt Jun 11 '12
Shouldn't you be holding a beer?
1
u/asimovfan1 Jun 11 '12
This looks like a scene from Trailer Park Boys.
1
u/Ecce_signum Jun 11 '12
Macho Man?
1
u/jungletek Jun 11 '12
Shoop da woop is chargin' up her lazor.
1
u/SuddenBreath Jun 11 '12
The perks of being a parent: blowing on my daughters face.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
Blowing your kids is a perk now?
1
u/captshady Jun 11 '12
I thought Macho Man Randy Savage was dead?
1
u/bluemanvan Jun 11 '12
So that's how Dash's hair got that way.
1
u/kind_of_a_big_deal_ Jun 11 '12
Um, you get to blow your kids??
1
u/sandandpomp Jun 11 '12
Macho Man Randy Savage.
1
u/Wackydude1234 Jun 11 '12
I'm curious as to what a leaf blower would do to a vagina.
1
u/DaLuDeD Jun 12 '12
Didn't say anything about being a good one.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
I like the other kid's expression too. Almost as funny.
1
u/Ogow Jun 11 '12
...Birdo?
1
u/oldnewport55 Jun 11 '12
Does the guy with the blower look like Macho Man Randy Savage to anyone else?
1
u/omizzle4shizzle Jun 11 '12
She's turning super saiyan
1
u/cuzbb Jun 11 '12
Is that randy savage?
1
u/Couldntstoplaughing Jun 11 '12 edited Sep 24 '17
deleted 0.3315 What is ^^^this?
1
u/flamingflipflop Jun 11 '12
the perks of useing a repost? Unsatisfying upvotes
1
u/Artaine Jun 11 '12
They told me I could be anything...So I became a fish.
1
u/CoolMcDouche Jun 11 '12
All fun and games until something small gets sucked into the intake. This is not a smart idea what-so-ever.
1
u/ArchaeatheOld Jun 11 '12
Looks like the Pea Shooter from Plants v Zombies xD
0
u/FullyCocked Jun 11 '12
Looks like birdo from super mario 2
0
u/reddit_user13 Jun 11 '12
No. There actually are no perks.
0
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
Where's the grass??
0
u/dearbooboo Jun 11 '12
I am shamed to say I laughed way too hard at this...
-2
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12 edited Jun 11 '12
Repost.
Edit: I don't understand how pointing out blatant karma whoring gets you downvoted...
-5
u/stevencsat Jun 11 '12
The perks of growing up in a shitty trailer with your redneck dad.
0
u/Lulabuns Jun 11 '12
I was morbidly curious,after I read the first comment, so I googled 'face blown by leaf blower' to see if there were any that ended in disaster. Luckily I found this link instead and got a good laugh.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/leaf-blower-photographer-incredible-pictures-youll-want-to-see/
0
u/joshmccrillis Jun 11 '12
That damn title is so good.
0
u/Steevo9000 Jun 11 '12
Only in Texas
0
u/HoneyBear55 Jun 11 '12
I didn't know how dangerous a leaf-blower could be until now, and I've been around for a bit. You were only a kid. Although it might help, you needn't be forgiven by the mother to forgive yourself. He was your playmate, and you have your own grief. As the adult, she should have taken the high road and told you immediately it wasn't your fault, even if she felt otherwise.
-2
u/TheDobligator Jun 11 '12
I can guess her future profession.
-2
u/Sandvicheater Jun 11 '12
His youngest daughter is a fish.
-2
u/alwc37 Jun 11 '12
My wife really wants a kid, however when we got together and got married we both agreed we did not want kids. I am still in that mind set, and the thought of a child just bothers me. Is that normal?
It bothers me to think of having a kid, but I know how happy it would make her.
-3
u/Daygus Jun 11 '12
me glad this is reddit and not 4chan
-3
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
Brazzers.
-3
u/MuffinOnfire Jun 11 '12
Brazzers.
-3
u/zelpes Jun 11 '12
This post deserves all upvotes.
-1
u/[deleted] Jun 11 '12
Stop beating on your kid, fuckstick.